Foraging for resources

Decisions (i) and (ii), and to some extent (iv), may be similar, but each of them considers foraging strategies at a different level of resource distribution. It is important to consider that resource patches exist at different hierarchical levels (e.g., forest, tree, limb, leaf, etc.) and that each patch level and each patch boundary can be defined by the behavior of the foraging insect. Whatever the patch level, the problem the forager faces is as follows individuals that remain too long in resource-poor areas accumulate resources at lower rates 

Until now, we have considered how resources may be distributed in space and time, and how individuals forage for resources. A further complexity arises from influence of competitors on the exploitation of available resources. 

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