58 Mus. Pub. Nat. His. Vol. 4, 2015 A NEW SET-UP FOR FREE-CHOICE FEEDING TESTS FOR CAVE CRICKETS (ORTHOPTERA: RHAPIDOPHORIDAE) AND OTHER CAVERNICOLOUS ARTHROPODS Ireneo L. Lit, Jr. 1,2, , Orlando L. Eusebio 1 , Prescilla Ruth D. Bicaldo 1,2 and Merdelyn T. Caasi-Lit 3 A free-choice feeding test chamber for cave arthropods was designed and fabricated to enable the authors to conduct controlled feeding experiments with due consideration for the peculiarities of cave-dwelling species and of the cave environment. The design was described, its cost compared with those of previous designs for surface-dwelling species, the steps for using it outlined and both its advantages and disadvantages discussed. The design was modiied from the set up used and described by Caasi-Lit and Morallo-Rejesus (1989). The smaller compartments simulate to a certain extent the crevices and spaces found inside caves wherein arthropods stay. Overall, the improvised feeding chamber presents great potentials for use in free-choice feeding experiments. Improvements could include more appropriate designs that would increase the size and number of organisms that can be studied. 1 Curator, Research Staff and former Student Assistant, respectively, Entomology Section, Museum of Natural History, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna, Philippines 2 Professor and former undergraduate student, respectively, Environmental Biology Division, Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna, Philippines 3 Scientist I, Entomology Laboratory, Institute of Plant Breeding-Crop Science Cluster, College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna, Philippines For correspondence: illit@up.edu.ph INTRODUCTION The study of cave insects and other arthropods has not progressed much, and in many tropical countries like the Philippines, this ield is virtually in its infancy. The biology of the majority of cave-dwelling species is largely unknown and present knowledge has been extrapolated mainly from the general biology of insect orders and from cavernicolous families or species found in temperate regions. These gaps in biospeleological information include aspects of ecology and behavior like feeding habits and food preferences (Gunn 2004). Among the standard methods for studying feeding behavior of insects, free-choice and no- choice tests have the advantage of generating quantitative data on responses to offered food items. These methods have been recognized as routine tests for studying entomological species of importance to agriculture, like toxicological studies on several lepidopterous pests (e.g. Caasi- Lit and Morallo-Rejesus 1989, 1990, 1997, 1999; Caasi-Lit 2005), host plant resistance to insect pests (e.g. de Souza et al. 2012) as well as host ranges of biological control agents (e.g. Khan et al. 2012). Van Driesche and Murray (2004) provided a comprehensive discussion on the mechanics of REVIEWERS SCIENTIST MARCELA M. NAVASERO Crop Protection Cluster, College of Agriculture University of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna, Philippines PROFESSOR EMERITUS VENUS J. CALILUNG Crop Protection Cluster, College of Agriculture and Curator, Museum of Natural History, University of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna, Philippines  A new set-up for free-choice feeding tests ... RESEARCH NOTE