Journal of Insect Behavior

, Volume 3, Issue 6, pp 773–783 | Cite as

Variation in foraging investment during the intermolt interval and before egg-laying in the spiderNephila clavipes (Araneae: Araneidae)

  • Linden E. Higgins
Article
Accepted:

Abstract

Repeated observations were made of marked, freeliving females in three disjunct populations of the orb-weaving spider Nephila clavipes,recording orb size and structure and barrier web complexity. These longitudinal studies revealed regular patterns of variation in orb size associated with the molting cycle and cycle of egg maturation. Juveniles maintained in an insectary under a controlled feeding regime exhibited similar variation in orb size. All spiders ceased orb renewal prior to molting and the majority replaced the viscid orb with a nonviscid platform prior to molting. Differences among the populations in molting web structure are discussed in light of differences in the physical and biological environments. Cessation of orb renewal corresponded temporally with reported physiological changes associated with the molt cycle and possibly reflect changes in resource partitioning between growth and foraging during the molt cycle.

Key words

Araneidae foraging molt cycle web structure 
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Copyright information

© Plenum Publishing Corporation 1990

Authors and Affiliations

  • Linden E. Higgins
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of ZoologyUniversity of Texas at AustinAustin

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