Some Little Known Aspects of Spider Behavior

Abstract

A number of species of the theridiid genus, Conopistha, are known to be commensals, and some have been found to be even parasites in the webs of other spiders. Some representatives of families that ordinarily resort to snares for entrapping prey have evolved other devices, such as the bolas, the retiarius, or even a single strand used as a spring. Though they have complete webs, Theridiosoma and Hyptiotes use them as springs. Scytodes ensnares prey by means of a gummy substance ejected form its poison fangs. A number of instances are known of vertebrates serving as food, and members of the 2 families, Mimetidae and Archaeidae, feed solely on other spiders. In some species the mother spider is eaten by her young, and interestingly enough in one of these species the mother displays a considerable amount of brood care, even to feeding the spiderlings. For these and others it is to be expected that there will be some social life before the spiderlings disperse, but there are a number of species which contrary to the usual situation among spiders, remain social throughout life, often in colonies of several hundreds. At least some spiders apparently can orient by using polarized light, can hear, and can perceive odors. Some lyriform organs apparently function in olfac-tion, but other such organs serve as vibration detectors, and still others as proprioceptors.