differences in resource availability at several developmental stages on life-history traits that have

substantial influences on population structure and dynamics, such as age and size at each

developmental transition, longevity, and fecundity.

 Materials and Methods

Animal Husbandry and Feeding Treatments

 This study was conducted in a USDA-approved quarantine facility within the Department

of Zoology at the University of Florida (permit # PPQ 69292). Lights were maintained on a

12:12 light:dark cycle. Room temperature averaged 22.5-24.5 C, and relative humidity averaged

45-55% throughout the trial. Twenty adult Indian stick insects (Carausius morosus) were

obtained from the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California. Eggs laid by these females were

individually incubated until hatching. The resulting offspring (n = 86) were systematically

assigned to one of six treatment groups such that all experimental insects produced by a

particular mother were evenly distributed among groups.

 These insects were maintained individually for their entire lifetimes in plastic cages

(29.5 cm x 19 cm x 19 cm) with locking vented lids lined with fine-mesh screening. Each cage

was misted daily with deionized water to provide drinking water. Insects were fed discs cut from

leaves of English ivy (Hedera helix) daily. Biopsy punches (Miltex Instrument Co., Inc.) were

used to create discs of multiple diameters: 2 mm for first instar insects, 3 mm for second instar

insects, 4 mm for third instar insects, 5 mm for fourth instar insects, 6 mm for fifth instar insects,

and 8 mm for sixth instar insects and adults. When cutting leaf discs, care was taken to avoid

major leaf veins such that discs contained as little vascular tissue as possible.

 Insects were offered either more leaf discs than they could consume within 24 hours (ad

libitum, AL) or a restricted number of discs (R) equal to 60% of the average daily mass-specific

intake of AL-fed insects in the same life-history stage. Life-history stages were categorized as