The web amount and quality of web spiders (Agelenidae, Pholcidae), Agelena labyrinthica (Clerck, 1757) and Holocnemus pluchei (Scopoli, 1763), depending on food and temperature

Authors: BAYDA HAMEED, ADİLE AKPINAR, DERYA İŞLER CEYHAN

Abstract: The web amount and quality of web-weaving of two spider species, Agelena labyrinthica (Clerck, 1757) and Holocnemus pluchei (Scopoli, 1763), were determined depending on the temperature and the amount of food consumed. Two different experiments were set up in the study. In the first one, the spiders were raised at different temperatures (20-25 °C and 25-30 °C) under laboratory conditions and they were fed with 10 Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae) each time. In the second one, the spiders were fed with 7-10 insects caught from their natural habitats, at 20-25 °C and 25-30 °C. According to this, the difference in the amounts of food consumed by spiders fed with D. melanogaster at 25-30 °C was statistically significant (p < 0.05), and it was observed that these spiders (well-fed spiders) weave more frequently and regularly. On the other hand, the webs of A. labyrinthica and H. pluchei fed at lower temperatures with D. melanogaster were sparse and scarce. As a result, it was determined that the amount and quality of the cobwebs produced by both species of spiders depend on the number of nutrients and high-temperature values (25-30 °C).

Keywords: Spider web, Drosophila melanogaster, temperature, nutrition, Agelena labyrinthica, Holocnemus pluchei

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