The dynamics of prey capture of the colonial, orb-weaving spider Metabus gravidus (Araneidae) in Monteverde, Costa Rica

Prey capture dynamics of the colonial, orb-weaving spider Metabus gravidus (Araneidae) are based on individuals. It is possible that prey caught in certain locations of the web will stimulate more reactions, and that different types of prey will stimulate variable reactions. Since the members of the colony live close to one another, it is also possible that spiders exhibit competition over prey. Different insects were dropped into various locations of individual orbs in order to observe reactions. The spiders did not seem to prefer whether prey was dropped closer or further from the center of the web (Chisquared goodness of fit, l2 = 0.684, P = 0.710, DF = 2); number of captures did not depend on location either (Chi-squared goodness of fit, l2 = 0.651, P= 0.651, DF = 2). Grasshoppers generated medium-speed reactions, but overall the spiders preferred moths to grasshoppers or ants (chi-squared goodness of fit, l2 =14.88, P = 0.006, DF = 2). It seems that variation in prey stimulates different behaviors in M. gravidus. Las dinámicas de la captura de presas de la colonia de arañas Metabus gravidus (Araneidae) se basa en los individuos. Es posible que las presas capturadas en determinados lugares de la telaraña provocaran más reacciones. Ya que los miembros de la colonia viven cerca unos de otros, también es posible que las arañas exhiban más competencia sobre la presa.https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tropical_ecology/1004/thumbnail.jp