• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.157-162
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• 2015

The physical factors of Argiope bruennichi (Araneae, Araneidae) that influence the stabilimentum decoration on the web, a conspicuous white silk structure reflecting much more ultraviolet light than other spider silks in the web, have been poorly understood. In this study, individual variables involved in decorating the webs with stabilimenta by A. bruennichi were examined. The results revealed that the physical condition of the female A. bruennichi affected the behaviors of the stabilimentum decoration on the web. Among the 82 female spiders building their webs, the 49 female spiders adding upper and lower stabilimenta on their web weighed less, and had a narrower cephalothorax and shorter abdomen than the 33 female spiders that did not use stabilimentum. The heavier females decorated their webs with stabilimentum of greater widths. There were also significant positive relationships between the stabilimentum area and the female spider's cephalothorax width, and between the stabilimentum area and female spider's abdomen length. Taken together, this study suggests that spiders allocate their resources in stabilimentum decoration as a functional response to the spider's physical conditions, and also supports the "prey-attraction hypothesis," which states that the use of stabilimentum increases the foraging success by attracting more prey to the web.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2010

Web building of the spider is an investment behavior for prey foraging with genetic constraint. Individual's decision-making on the web construction depends on diverse environmental variables. This study investigated web structure of the wasp spider, Argiope bruennichi, to compare individual's behaviors in dry field and in wet field. We measured 35 web structures in dry field (Chunma-San, Incheon) showing relatively low humidity (46.4%) and luxuriant herbage, and 13 web structures in the wet rice field (73.9%; Taean-Gun, Chungnam). Comparing to the wet field the individuals in the dry field invested significantly more silk: $32.5{\pm}12.8$ number of silk spirals used in the dry field vs. $16.9{\pm}5.4$ in the wet field. The web area of the dry field was greater than that of the wet field: $976{\pm}643cm^2$ vs. $532{\pm}254cm^2$. The web height, distance between the ground and the center of the web, appeared higher in the dry field than in the wet field: $71.4{\pm}39.6cm$ vs. $49.6{\pm}31.2cm$. Also the web constructed in the dry field showed longer stabilimentum than the web of the wet field: $18.8{\pm}3.4cm$ vs. $3.9{\pm}3.2cm$. The perpendicular inclination and the inclination to East-West of the web showed no difference between the two fields. This study suggests that adult females of A. bruennichi could modulate its construction behavior depending on the micro-habitat factors.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.139-148
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• 2011

Web structure of spiders is a foraging strategy as well as an investment to get prey. In order to make a good foraging decision spiders should change its foraging strategy in the basis of sensory information provided by potential prey species. We conducted experiments to demonstrate whether a wasp spider, Argiope bruennichi modifies its web-building behavior after experiencing sensory information emitted by a cricket species, Teleogryllus emma. To know how the web structures would be modified, we quantified web characteristics after providing sensory information of the cricket and compared to the control group. Web construction decreased in the course of the experiment in both, control group(without stimulus) and experimental group(with stimuli). The results did not show remarkable differences between two groups. However, on the first day after providing sensory information of the cricket, the web-building behavior of A. bruennichi decreased only in 3.7% of the experimental group individuals against 11.8% of the control group individuals. The number of the stabilimentum constructions decreased overall in both groups. On the first day the decreasing proportion was doubled in the control group(14.7%), comparing to the experimental group(7.4%). The individuals did not lower its web height and did not extend its web area according to sensory information of the prey.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.1009-1015
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• 2011

Web structure of spiders is a foraging strategy as well as an investment to get prey. In order to increase the fitness consequence, spiders change their foraging strategy based on sensory information provided by prey species. We conducted an experiment to demonstrate whether an orb-web building spider, Argiope bruennichi modifies its web-building behavior after experiencing sensory information emitted by a UV recognizing flying insect, Bombus terrestris. To know how the web structure would be modified, we observed web characteristics after providing sensory information of a potential prey species, the bumblebee (experimental group) and compared them to the control group (no information provided). We hypothesized that the spiders of the experimental group would increase investments in their web construction and stabilimentum decoration. The results rejected our hypothesis. Web and stabilimentum constructions decreased in the course of the experiment in both the control group and the experimental group. The individuals did not increase their stabilimentum length and did not extend their web areas, in spite of sensory information given by the nectar collector.