Spiders associated with flowering plants and their potential preys

Issue Date

10-2017

Abstract

A spider’s microhabitat preference in plants may depend on the structure of flowers and vegetative parts. In order to find possible mutualistic conditions, random sampling among local flowering plants and spider-prey species near a nature reserve (University of the Philippines Los Baños) and an area with high anthropological influence (secondary forest of the De La Salle-Science and Technology Complex) was done. The families Araneidae, Salticidae, Thomisidae, Theridiidae, and Clubionidae were found to be dominant in both flowers and vegetative parts of surveyed plants. The age structure and families of the arthropods may vary depending on the rewards that a plant species can provide. There is an abundance of immature spiders among inflorescences which can provide refuge and protection from extreme environmental conditions as well as ensnared pollens that could be used as their food substitute during scarcities of arthropod prey. Most spider species were observed in plants with white, followed by violet, red, and yellow flowers. Plant species surveyed exhibited pollination syndromes and the structure and color of their reproductive structures can serve as visual cues in guiding pollinators which are the spiders’ potential preys. Further study on the effect of spiders on reproductive success of the plants should be done in order to verify and confirm our initial survey results.

Source or Periodical Title

The Philippine Entomologist

ISSN

0048-3753

Volume

31

Issue

2

Page

170

Document Type

Article

Frequency

semi-annually

Language

English

En – AGROVOC descriptors

FLOWERS; INFLORESCENCES; ARANEAE; USEFUL ARTHROPODS; USEFUL INSECTS; MICROHABITAT; POLLINATORS; MUTUALISM

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