BIOLOGY AND PREDATION EFFICIENCY OF THE SPIDER SPECIES STEATODA ALBOMACULATA (DE GEER,1778) (ARANEIDA: THERIDIIDAE) FEEDING ON THE THREE DIFFERENT PREYS

ROMEIH, AML H. M.; EL- ERKOUSOUSY, MOHAMED H.; AIAD, KHALED A.

doi:10.21608/ejar.2009.196619

BIOLOGY AND PREDATION EFFICIENCY OF THE SPIDER SPECIES STEATODA ALBOMACULATA (DE GEER,1778) (ARANEIDA: THERIDIIDAE) FEEDING ON THE THREE DIFFERENT PREYS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Agricultural Zoology Department, Faculty of Agricultural, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

² Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

10.21608/ejar.2009.196619

Abstract

The spider Steatoda albomaculata (De Geer) was reared on three different types of prey i.e. motile stages of the two spotted spider mite,Tetranychus urticae Koch,the cotton aphid,Aphis gossypii (Glover) and first and second larval instars of the cotton leafworm,Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.). Incubation period averaged 10 days for both male and female. They pass through three spiderlings before reaching adult. The life cycle averaged (48.4&36.8), (39.8&33.7) and (33.1&27.1) days for female and male when fed on the three above mentioned prey, respectively at 27±2c◦and70±5%R.H.Female oviposition period durated 15.9, 14.7 and 12.7 days and the deposited egg sacs averaged 2.8, 3.2 and 3.1 when fed on T. urticae, A. gossypii and S. littoralis, respectively. Total number of prey consumed averaged 329.7 & 344.6, 191.5&295.0 and 194.9&293.0 of the aforementioned prey individuals for spider female and male, respectively through its life span.