Influence of web traits, height, and daily periods of exposition on prey captured by orb-weaver spiders

Xavier, Gabriel Máximo; Quero, Adilson; Moura, Rafael Rios; Vieira, Camila; Meira, Felipe André; Gonzaga, Marcelo O.

doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104536

Cited by 2 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Another factor that may contribute to this foraging pattern may be the successful capture of larger prey. Orb webs of different sizes are e cient in capturing small insects, but large insects are more intercepted by the webs at night (Xavier et al 2021). One of these factors, or their interaction, may drive the foraging behaviors of M. laticeps at different times of the day.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most spider species adopting the "sit and wait" strategy build webs that contain silk threads specialized in retaining prey: the sticky spirals (Willemar and Lacava 2017). Orb-web spiders may exhibit different web-building behaviors, in which distinct individuals or species can keep the webs for several days, performing minor maintenance, when necessary (Xavier et al 2021), or can recycle their webs every day, breaking up and ingesting some or all the silk threads (Eberhard 2020). This behavior allows the reuse of proteins from the old web, which results in energy saving during the process of constructing new traps (Blackledge et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, it is expected that spiders with poor nutritional status invest more in prey retention structures, intending to increase capture success and meet their nutritional needs (Blackedge and Zevenbergen, 2007). Some spider species exhibit web-building and foraging behavior during both day and night (Xavier et al, 2021), such as Metazygia laticeps (Araneidae). Individuals of M. laticeps build webs oriented vertically to the ground and attach a curled leaf to the upper part of the web, which they use as shelter (Dierkens 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to individual nutritional status, the foraging period can also affect prey capture success. Orb-weaver spiders tend to capture larger insects at night compared to those that build webs during the day (Xavier et al 2021), which is also the less risky period. Hence, the foraging period must be an important mediator of spider foraging behavior.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predation avoidance behavior and web investment are not constrained by individual nutritional status in a shelter-building spider species

Ceribelli

Moura

Kloss

2023

Preprint

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Optimal foraging and individual specialization theories suggest that different properties of the interaction between prey and predators determine foraging strategies. However, none of them consider how the nutritional status of the predators and the risk of being attacked by other predators can affect the option for these strategies. Some spider species can build webs as dynamic traps to capture prey and perform behaviors that optimize capture efficiency while adopting strategies to minimize their exposure to predators, such as building a shelter. In this sense, the risk of predation during foraging and the nutritional status of spiders may be important factors mediating predator-prey interactions, because capturing prey involves leaving the shelter, which may contribute to an increased risk of exposure to predators lurking close to the web. In this study, we evaluated the hypotheses that individuals of the shelter-building spider Metazygia laticeps (Araneidae) with poor nutritional status (i) are more exposed to predators during foraging and (ii) invest more in web structures to capture prey. Nutritional status was unrelated to exposure to predation. However, M. laticeps individuals left the shelter faster at night than during the day, regardless of their nutritional status, probably to reduce exposure to visually oriented predators. In addition, individuals with poor nutritional status did not show higher investment in webs when compared to well-nourished spiders. Nutritional status, therefore, was not a determining factor modulating investment in web foraging structures by M. laticeps.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Predation avoidance behavior and web investment are not constrained by individual nutritional status in a shelter-building spider species

Ceribelli

Moura

Kloss

2023

Preprint

Self Cite

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Effects of host size on progeny sex and survivorship of Hymenoepimecis pinheirensis

Xavier,

Gonzaga,

de Castro

et al. 2024

Behavioral Ecology

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Parasitoid larvae consume their hosts to obtain the nutritional resources required for their development. Parasitoid wasps can optimally select the size of their hosts by laying unfertilised and fertilised eggs according to the amount of biomass available for consumption by the larvae. However, parasitoids may eventually experience low host availability within the optimal range of body sizes, affecting the survival of their offspring. In this study, we identified a situation in which all available hosts (Leucauge volupis) were smaller than those previously observed to be parasitised by Hymenoepimecis pinheirensis at the same study site. Therefore, we investigated how these parasitoids can bypass the scarcity of ideal hosts. Female wasps biased their oviposition toward the largest L. volupis females available. In this suboptimal scenario, they did not oviposit only unfertilised eggs, which developed into relatively small offspring (males). In this situation, they lay fertilised eggs mainly on larger spiders. Larval mortality was high, but the larvae attached to the larger spiders were more likely to complete their development. In general, H. pinheirensis females managed to target the best hosts available, but could not delay the oviposition of fertilised eggs or avoid offspring mortality. Here, we discuss the potential causes of asynchronies in the life cycles of parasitoid wasps and their hosts, the availability of optimal hosts, and how these factors may affect their populations

show abstract

Influence of web traits, height, and daily periods of exposition on prey captured by orb-weaver spiders

Cited by 2 publications

References 53 publications

Predation avoidance behavior and web investment are not constrained by individual nutritional status in a shelter-building spider species

Predation avoidance behavior and web investment are not constrained by individual nutritional status in a shelter-building spider species

Effects of host size on progeny sex and survivorship of Hymenoepimecis pinheirensis

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