Driedoornmestkevers Typhaeus typhoeus als prooi van een Klapekster Lanius excubitor: ontleden of verzwelgen?

Minotaur beetles are an important prey for wintering Great Grey Shrikes in Drenthe. Both male (with thoracic thorns) and female (without horns) beetles were taken: males were mostly found as pluckings, females more often in pellets. In pluckings, the width of the thorax of both male and female beetles was wider than in pellets (fig. 1). Moreover, the length of the thoracic horns in males was significantly longer in beetles found in pluckings than in pellets (fig. 2). These differences are probably related to differences in handling time; small beetles are swallowed on the spot, large beetles are slaughtered on the favourite sitting post.