Wasp Attacks and Spider Defence in the Orb Weaving Species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zygiella x-notata</Emphasis> |
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Authors: | Alain Pasquet Julien Cardot Raymond Leborgne |
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Institution: | (1) Equipe “Expression et Evolution des Comportements chez les Araignées” UMR CNRS 7153, Université Paris 13, Université Henri Poincaré Nancy, B.P. 239-54506 Vandoeuvre les Nancy Cedex, France |
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Abstract: | Predator–prey relationships are generally based on arm-race. Wasps and spiders are both predators, which could be potential
prey for each other. The orb weaver spider Zygiella x-notata is sometimes a prey for the wasp Vespula germanica. We observed the wasp hunting behaviour under natural conditions, and we tested the influence of the spider’s behaviour on
the wasp attack success. Wasps were active predators during the reproductive period of the spider. Results showed that wasps
located more easily male spiders than females particularly when they were engaged in mate guarding. Female location depended
on the presence of a web, but also of prey or prey remains in the web. On the other hand, their location depend neither on
the characteristics and the position of the retreat in the environment nor on the size of the web. After location, males were
more often captured than females whatever their behaviour (mate guarding or not). Presence of prey remains or prey in the
web did not increase the risk for the spider to be captured. There was also no influence of the retreat’s characteristics
or of its position in the habitat on the risk for the spider to be captured; but wasp successful attacks were less numerous
when silk was present around the entrance of the retreat or when the spider was completely inside. As prey and prey remains
favoured location of spiders by the wasps, we tested spider web cleaning behaviour as a response to wasp predatory pressure.
By throwing small polystyrene pellets in the webs, we observed that more 80% of the spiders rejected the pellets in less than
one minute. Our data indicated that wasps were significant predators of Z. x-notata and wasp attack could have been a selective pressure that had favoured spider defensive behaviours such as web cleaning. |
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Keywords: | Predator– prey relationships arm-race predation risk mate guarding cost coevolution |
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