Jumping spiders are usually considered obligate predators where ingestion is preceded by visual or tactile stimuli which elicit hunting behavior. Hungry females of Salticus scenicus were shown to feed upon dead houseflies

Wolff, Robert J

English

ValpoScholar

The Great Lakes Entomologist 
Volume 19 
Number 2 - Summer 1986 Number 2 - Summer 
1986 
Article 7 
June 1986 
Scavenging by Jumping Spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) 
Robert J. Wolff 
Trinity Christian College 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle 
 Part of the Entomology Commons 
Recommended Citation 
Wolff, Robert J. 1986. "Scavenging by Jumping Spiders (Araneae: Salticidae)," The Great Lakes 
Entomologist, vol 19 (2) 
Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol19/iss2/7 
This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. 
It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. 
For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. 
1986 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 121 
SCAVENGING BY JUMPING SPIDERS (ARANEAE: SALTICIDAE) 
Robert J. Wolff! 
ABSTRACT 
Jumping spiders are usually considered obligate predators where ingestion is preceded 
by 
visual or tactile stimuli which elicit hunting behavior. Hungry females 
of Salticus 
seenieus were shown to feed upon dead houseflies. 
Spiders are generally considered to be obligate predators, dependent upon mechanical 
or visual signals to initiate predatory behavior. However, Knost and Rovner (1975) 
demonstrated that wolf spiders (Lycosidae) will scavenge on dead arthropods, indicating 
that ingestion by wolf spiders does not require predatory behavior. 
Jumping spiders (Saiticidae) have the best eyesight of all arthropods (Foelix 1982, 
Forster 1982) and might be expected to be more likely to require visual cues for predatory 
behavior. Robinson and Valerio (1977) discussed the attack by jumping spiders (Phiale 
sp.) against araneids. The spiders would not attack unmoving prey even after three days 
of 
confinement together. Forster (1982) discussed prey capture 
by saiticids, and indicated 
that Trite planiceps Simon could hunt and catch prey in the dark. She described how T. 
planiceps captured living flies in the dark or when blinded, and attributed this to vibratory 
stimulation. This species rejected freshly killed flies when they were contacted or offered 
in the dark. Salticids are generally found higher in the vegetation. at locations where dead 
prey would be unlikely to be encountered. 
Artificial diets of homogenized insects have been used to rear salticid spiderlings 
(Metaphidippus galathea Walckenaer) (Horner and Starks 1972). However, feeding by 
spiderlings on liquid diets may be considered similar to their feeding on a mother's 
regurgitated food. The question remains, will adult salticids scavenge? 
METHODS 
Thirteen mature, female zebra spiders, Salticus scenicus (L.), were captured and used 
in 
this experiment. Following five days without any feedings, houseflies which had been 
killed 
by freezing were weighed 0.1 mg), and then one fly was placed in a culture vial 
with each of 13 spiders. After each fly was removed and reweighed. Nine other dead 
flies were placed in empty but otherwise identical vials. 
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 
The nine control flies had weight losses of 61.2-71.5% while the 13 experimental flies 
had losses of 67.4-78.2%. The means are significantly different (Student's Hest, P < 
I Trinity Christian College, 6601 West College Drive, Palos Heights, IL 60463. 
1
Wolff: Scavenging by Jumping Spiders (Araneae: Salticidae)
Published by ValpoScholar, 1986
122 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST VoL 19, No.2 
0.01). These results indicate that salticids will feed on insect carrion when they are 
deprived of live food. Thus predatory behavior does not have to precede ingestion by 
jumping spiders. 
Two factors may have infuenced the data. First, control flies may have lost relatively 
more water due to being alone, whereas experimental conditions may have produced a 
higher relative humidity because of the inclusion of a live spider in the system, thus 
leading to smaller weight losses. Second, the experimental flies became entangled with 
silk and usually ended up with some silk on them during the final weighing. Both of these 
factors tended to increase the apparent relative weight loss in the control flies, and further 
support the contention that salticids may scavenge. 
LITERATURE CITED 
Foelix, R. 1982. Biology of spiders. Harvard Univ. Press.: Cambridge, MA. 
Forster, L. 1982. Vision and prey-catching strategies in jumping spiders. Amer. Sci. 
70:165-175. 
Horner, N. V. and K. J. Starks, 1972. Bionomics of the jumping spider Metaphidippus 
galathea. Ann. EntomoL Soc. Amer. 61:602-607. 
Knost, S. 1. and J. S. Rovner 1975. Scavenging by wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae). 
Amer. MidI. Nat. 93:239-244. 
Robinson, M. H., and C. E. Valerio 1977. Attacks on large or heavily defended prey by 
tropical salticid spiders. Psyche 84:1-10. 
2
The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 19, No. 2 [1986], Art. 7
https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol19/iss2/7


Scavenging by Jumping Spiders (Araneae: Salticidae)

Robert J Wolff

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Valparaiso University

The Great Lakes Entomologist Volume 19 Number 2 - Summer 1986 Number 2 - Summer 1986 Article 7 June 1986 Scavenging by Jumping Spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) Robert J. Wolff Trinity Christian College Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle  Part of the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation Wolff, Robert J. 1986. "Scavenging by Jumping Spiders (Araneae: Salticidae)," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 19 (2) Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol19/iss2/7 This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. 1986 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 121 SCAVENGING BY JUMPING SPIDERS (ARANEAE: SALTICIDAE) Robert J. Wolff! ABSTRACT Jumping spiders are usually considered obligate predators where ingestion is preceded by visual or tactile stimuli which elicit hunting behavior. Hungry females of Salticus seenieus were shown to feed upon dead houseflies. Spiders are generally considered to be obligate predators, dependent upon mechanical or visual signals to initiate predatory behavior. However, Knost and Rovner (1975) demonstrated that wolf spiders (Lycosidae) will scavenge on dead arthropods, indicating that ingestion by wolf spiders does not require predatory behavior. Jumping spiders (Saiticidae) have the best eyesight of all arthropods (Foelix 1982, Forster 1982) and might be expected to be more likely to require visual cues for predatory behavior. Robinson and Valerio (1977) discussed the attack by jumping spiders (Phiale sp.) against araneids. The spiders would not attack unmoving prey even after three days of confinement together. Forster (1982) discussed prey capture by saiticids, and indicated that Trite planiceps Simon could hunt and catch prey in the dark. She described how T. planiceps captured living flies in the dark or when blinded, and attributed this to vibratory stimulation. This species rejected freshly killed flies when they were contacted or offered in the dark. Salticids are generally found higher in the vegetation. at locations where dead prey would be unlikely to be encountered. Artificial diets of homogenized insects have been used to rear salticid spiderlings (Metaphidippus galathea Walckenaer) (Horner and Starks 1972). However, feeding by spiderlings on liquid diets may be considered similar to their feeding on a mother's regurgitated food. The question remains, will adult salticids scavenge? METHODS Thirteen mature, female zebra spiders, Salticus scenicus (L.), were captured and used in this experiment. Following five days without any feedings, houseflies which had been killed by freezing were weighed 0.1 mg), and then one fly was placed in a culture vial with each of 13 spiders. After each fly was removed and reweighed. Nine other dead flies were placed in empty but otherwise identical vials. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The nine control flies had weight losses of 61.2-71.5% while the 13 experimental flies had losses of 67.4-78.2%. The means are significantly different (Student's Hest, P < I Trinity Christian College, 6601 West College Drive, Palos Heights, IL 60463. 1Wolff: Scavenging by Jumping Spiders (Araneae: Salticidae)Published by ValpoScholar, 1986122 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST VoL 19, No.2 0.01). These results indicate that salticids will feed on insect carrion when they are deprived of live food. Thus predatory behavior does not have to precede ingestion by jumping spiders. Two factors may have infuenced the data. First, control flies may have lost relatively more water due to being alone, whereas experimental conditions may have produced a higher relative humidity because of the inclusion of a live spider in the system, thus leading to smaller weight losses. Second, the experimental flies became entangled with silk and usually ended up with some silk on them during the final weighing. Both of these factors tended to increase the apparent relative weight loss in the control flies, and further support the contention that salticids may scavenge. LITERATURE CITED Foelix, R. 1982. Biology of spiders. Harvard Univ. Press.: Cambridge, MA. Forster, L. 1982. Vision and prey-catching strategies in jumping spiders. Amer. Sci. 70:165-175. Horner, N. V. and K. J. Starks, 1972. Bionomics of the jumping spider Metaphidippus galathea. Ann. EntomoL Soc. Amer. 61:602-607. Knost, S. 1. and J. S. Rovner 1975. Scavenging by wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae). Amer. MidI. Nat. 93:239-244. Robinson, M. H., and C. E. Valerio 1977. Attacks on large or heavily defended prey by tropical salticid spiders. Psyche 84:1-10. 2The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 19, No. 2 [1986], Art. 7https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol19/iss2/7

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Scavenging by Jumping Spiders (Araneae: Salticidae)

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