abstract
Larvae of the Lepidopteran Pringleophaga marioni Viette form an important component of the soil macrofauna at sub-Antarctic Marion Island. They were previously considered as herbivores, feeding on plant roots and rhizomes. Captive larvae are omnivorous and will aggressively attack and devour earthworms. The significance of this carnivory in the field is unknown but the larvae and earthworms occur together in the upper peat layers of many of the island plant communities.