1992. The Journal of Arachnology 20:153–15 6 SPIDER (ARANEAE) TAXA ASSOCIATED WIT H MANTISPA VIRIDIS (NEUROPTERA: MANTISPIDAE)

ABSTRACT. Egg sacs of 25 species of spiders in 14 families were found to contain immatures of Mantispa viridis in northwestern South Carolina, bringing the total spider taxa associated with this species to at least 2 9 species in 15 families. Thirty-one of the 124 M. viridis infested egg sacs had two or more mantispids in them. However, only three of these sacs produced two or more adult mantispids, with two sacs producing two adult s each and the third sac producing four adults. Larvae of Mantispa viridis Walker, a member of the mantispid subfamily Mantispinae, ar e predators of spider eggs. First instars ofM. viridis locate spider egg sacs and penetrate through th e surrounding silk to gain access to the eggs, where-upon they develop through two additional an d relatively immobile instars prior to pupatio n within the sac (Richardson 1976; Redborg & MacLeod 1985). Ten species of spiders in th