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Prey and Periodicity of <I>Pardosa Ramulosa</I> (Mccook) in Alfalfa

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Prey and Periodicity of <I>Pardosa Ramulosa</I> (Mccook) in Alfalfa Prey and Periodicity of Pardosa ramulosa1 (McCook) in Alfalfa2 KENNETH V. YEARGAN' Entomology Department, University of California, Davis 95616 ABSTRACT Visual observations of predation by Pardosa ramu/osa (McCook) in alfalfa fields indicate that Hemiptera, Diptera, and Araneae are important prey of this wolf spider. Time-sort pitfall trapping showed that P. ramu/osa and some of its more frequently taken prey species are primarily active during the day. Population samples of the predator and prey species were taken to ascertain seasonal relationships. In contrast to the numerous studies of predaceous alfalfa fields in the summer. Such cracks are often insects in agro-ecosystems, there have been rela- used for escape by P. ramu/osa when disturbed, and Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ee/article/4/1/137/2395486 by guest on 27 September 2021 tively few analyses of the role of spiders as preda- make the capture of feeding spiders more difficult. tors. Although spiders are frequently mentioned as Observations were made by moving systematically potential predators of insects, data on their prey and as stealthily as possible through the study area species are scarce. The occasional field observations taking care not to move through the same area of predation by spiders noted in the literature are twice on a given date. By bending or squatting near often mentioned merely as an aside to other work. the ground, it was possible to determine whether Representative of the few extensive field investiga- or not an individual of P. ramu/osa was feeding. tions of spider prey to date, Turnbull (1960) and When a feeding individual was observed, a metal Kajak (1965) studied the prey caught under natural cylinder (6 in. diam, 4 in. high) was gently lowered conditions by certain web-building species, and Edgar over it to prevent escape. A small aspirator was (1969), Hallander (1970), and Kiritani et al. (1972) used to capture the spider and its prey which were reported their observations of predation by certain placed in alcohol for identification of prey, aging species of wolf spiders. and sexing of predator, etc., in the laboratory. This study, conducted in alfalfa fields near Davis, Pitfall traps used for diel periodicity studies were Calif., during the 1972 and 1973, focused on the of the clock-driven model designed by Williams determination of the prey of the wolf spider, Par- (1958) and modified by Nicholls (1970). Offset dosa ramu/osa (McCook), which is the most abun- funnels with a 13-in. diam opening were used. A dant species of spider in northern California alfalfa 1;2 -in. flange was placed around the inside perimeter fields (Yeargan and Dondale 1974). Although its of the funnel opening to prevent escape of organisms cryptic coloration, fast movement, and ground- which had fallen into the funnels. Funnels were dwelling habits made observation difficult, consider- polished regularly with silicone lubricant to further able qualitative information on the prey of P. ramu- reduce chances of escape. Preservative used in the /osa was obtained by visual methods. collection cups was ethylene glycol. Three traps The diel activity periodicities and seasonal abun- were placed ca. 100 ft apart near the center of a dance of P. ramu/osa and its observed prey species 100-acre alfalfa field. The traps were used during were investigated to better understand their biotic the period between irrigation and cutting (2-3 wk) relationships. Die! periodicities were determined by each month from June through October, 1973. Care means of time-sort pitfall traps similar to those util- was taken not to trample the vegetation during the ized for this purpose by Dondale et al. (1972). daily servicing of the traps. Although careful at- Population samples of predator and prey species tention was given to dust and moisture problems in were taken throughout the year to ascertain seasonal the turntable mechanism of the traps, some malfunc- relationships. Knowledge of these biological param- tioning was unavoidable. Malfunction during any eters allows a more meaningful interpretation of the part of the 24-h cycle constituted failure of that trap predation observations. for that date. An average of slightly over 2 traps per day functioned properly during the study. Each Procedure and Materials 24-h collection fell automatically into 6 time periods: Observations of predation were made between 8 4 AM-7 AM; 7 AM-12 noon; 12 noon-5 PM; AM and 6 PM, PDT, at about monthly intervals 5 PM-8 PM; 8 PM-12 mdnt.; 12 mdnt.-4 PM, following cutting and irrigation. The alfalfa was PST. short enough (4-8 in.) at this time to allow rela- To determine seasonality of predator and prey tively easy observation of ground-dwelling arthro- populations, samples were taken throughout the year pods, and as the soil was still moist, it lacked the at ca. 2- to 3-wk intervals with the D-Vac® suction numerous cracks characteristic of dry California device (Dietrick et al. 1959). Sampling dates were concurrent with the observation dates during the season when predation observations were made. Each I Araneae: Lycosidae. • Received for 'publication 24 June 1974. sample unit consisted of 20 I-ft' "suctions" taken 3 Present address: Dept. of Entomology, Univ. Kentucky, Lexington 40506. several feet apart along a 100-150-ft transect. On 137 138 ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY Vol. 4, no. 1 each sampling date 12 such units were taken along (e.g., Chloropidae) were abundant in alfalfa, they parallel transects which were ca. 50 ft apart. Bags were seldom observed as prey. containing the samples were placed in cold ice Pardosa ramll/osa appears to feed more often on chests in the field and returned to the laboratory. members of its own species than on other species After 3-4 h of further cooling at ca. 4.4°C, the of spiders in alfalfa. The category "unidentified" samples were processed in modified Berlese funnels under Araneae in Table 1 consists of specimens too similar to those described by Dietrick et al. (1959). damaged to be identified beyond order level. The only orthopteran prey observed were small Results nymphs of the common field cricket, Achaeta as- Observed Predation simi Ius Fab. Coleopteran prey consisted of adult and larval staphylinids, larvae of Collops vittatus The results of field observations of predation by (Say), and larvae of Hypera brunneipennis (Bohe- P. ramulosa are summarized in Table 1. The orders man) . Hard-bodied adult beetles were never ob- Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ee/article/4/1/137/2395486 by guest on 27 September 2021 Hemiptera, Diptera, and Araneae were represented served as prey, and the only certain observation of in ca. 78% of the 331 total observations. rejection of any captured prey item in the field was Leafhoppers constituted the highest percentage of that of an adult of H. brunneipennis. Despite their the homopteran prey. Several species of leafhoppers abundance in alfalfa, Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera were present, but the most common species, Acerata- appeared to constitute only a small fraction of the gallia obscura Oman, was by far the most frequently diet of P. ramu/osa. The only observed feedings on taken. Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) was the only Lepidoptera were one adult moth and 3 small larvae. aphid species observed as prey, and with the excep- Two observations of feeding on small parasitic adult tion of one nymph, only winged adult specimens Hymenoptera represented less than 1% of the total were taken by P. ramu/osa. Geocoris spp. (primarily observations. G. atric%r Montandon) constituted ca. 76% of the heteropteran prey, with other lygaeids and one Nabis Die! Periodicity sp. nymph representing the remaining 24%. The diel periodicity of P. ramulosa and other Most of the dipteran prey were small flies (less arthropods in alfalfa are presented in Fig. 1-11. than 4 mm long) belonging to the family Ephydridae. Since the 6 time periods used were of unequal Although other families of comparable-sized flies lengths, the numbers caught were converted to a Table I.-Prey taken by Pardosa ramulosa in alfalfa fields, Yolo Co., Calif., 1972-73. Number of observations per prey taxon May June July Aug. Sept. Total Prey taxa 1973 1973 1972/1973 1972/1973 1972 1972-73 Hemiptera Homoptera Cicadellidae 0 0 18/15 10/18 3 64 Aphididae 0 0 0/13 1/2 0 16 Heteroptera Geocoris spp. 0 3 1/14 3/ 7 1 29 Other 0 0 3/ 1 3/ 0 2 9 Diptera 1 40 2/17 2/9 2 73 Araneae Pardosa ramulosa 0 22 1/9 1/5 1 39 Erigonidae 5 4 2/ 0 0/ 0 1 12 Dictynidae 2 2 1/1 0/ 0 0 6 Linyphiidae 0 0 0/ 0 1/0 0 1 Thomisidae 0 0 0/ 0 1/0 0 1 Gnaphosidae 0 0 0/ 0 0/ 0 1 1 Unidentified 3 1 0/ 0 0/ 1 0 5 Orthoptera 0 0 2/0 3/ 6 10 21 Coleoptera 9 2 0/ 6 2/0 1 20 Lithobiomorpha 0 2 1/11 0/ 3 0 17 Collembola 0 2 0/ 1 0/ 1 2 6 Dermaptera 0 1 0/ 0 1/3 0 5 Lepidoptera 0 0 1/ 3 0/ 0 0 4 Hymenoptera 0 1 0/ 1 0/ 0 0 2 Total 20 80 32/92 28/55 24 331 February 1975 YEARGAN: SPIDER PREY IN ALFALFA 139 I. 2. oJ 80 .c •.• oJ 5. 6. (7l,- .cui 1200 g''- 200 6 5I cI ~~- -g,r- U U oI I o o U 5 °0 40 °0 o U z- 100 dO o z- 3 °0 600 CL.. CL.. z- z- C ••• C'" C'- CL.
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