If every insect or animal has a predator, where does the chain start?

Question

There must be an insect or animal logically that does not have one for the chain to start but what are they?

Answer 1

Even top predators have parasites which can be considered to be higher on the food chain.

Cats are eaten by people in some cultures. I will not name the cultures in order to avoid being accused of racism. However, in the state of Colorado present day hunters pursuing mountain lions are required to use the meat for human consumption.

Answer 2

It is all more of a web than a chain but follows a circular path so there is no true beginning starting point.

Plants (producers) make their own food and are eaten by primary consumers (herbivores). These in turn are eaten by secondary consumers (carnivores). However, some animals are both plant and animal eaters (omnivores) and there are carnivores that eat other carnivores. If you were to draw connecting lines between plants, raccoons, insects, frogs, hawks, skunks, fungus, larva, etc. you would see that it all connects in a shape more like a web than a chain.

So what brings them full circle and around again? It is the decomposers! They break down dead organisms whether they be plant or animal as well as their waste as well into soil and nutrients for--what else? Plants!

Answer 3

ever heard the phrase, the top of the food chain

in most environments there is a top end predator

nothing eats it until it dies naturally, then the vultures and the worms get it

in some envrionments a big predator cat is the top of the food chain

even people don't have much interest in eating cats (and people can and will eat almost anything)

Answer 4

The food chaine strats from PLANTS! because, plants only have the capacity of photosynthesis to prepare food for all other living things in the world.

Answer 5

The chain starts with oxygen and water that feeds the very basic micro-organisms, and ends with microbes the soil that feed from the decaying flesh of the dead.

Answer 6

It's circular. When the largest Whale or Elephant dies, bacteria (tiny) thrive on the remains. These billions of bacteria eventually, themselves decompose, and produce 'fertilizer' for plants. Animals eat the plants.

Answer 7

When u try to answer this question, you end up thinking of some creator (and possibility of an unknown God existing.)

Answer 8

the plants! which are the source of all food on Earth... and they only feed on sunlight, water, and CO2

Answer 9

from the smallest to the biggest...

Answer 10

plankton