Quantitative Studies of the Food of Linyphia triangularis Clerck (Araneae: Linyphiidae)

Abstract

This work, designed to provide an estimate of the quantity of food consumed by spiders, was part of a more general study of the ecology of a spider population in a stand of oaks (Quercus robur L.) in Wytham Wood, Berkshire, England (Turnbull, 1960a, 1960b). Linyphia triangularis (Clerck) was selected as a test spider for the following reasons: it is a common, easily recognized, and easily acquired species; its size closely approximates the mode size of spiders in the population under observation; as far as it may be said of any spider, L. triangularis possesses few specialized features or habits; and the species is amenable to laboratory rearing and manipulation.