Transmission of a Female Sex Pheromone Thwarted by Males in the Spider Linyphia litigiosa (Linyphiidae)

Abstract

When a male Sierra dome spider (Linyphia litigiosa) encounters a virgin female that has been sexually mature for 7 to 10 days, he rapidly packs the silk of her web into a tight mass. This behavior hinders evaporation of a male-attractant chemical that such highly receptive females apply to their webs. The male thereby reduces the likelihood that his mating partner will attract rival males.