The Natural History, Bolas Construction, and Hunting Behavior of the Bolas Spider, Ordgarius Sexspinosus (Thorell) (Araneae: Araneidae)

Abstract

Ordgarius sexspinosus (Araneae: Araneidae) is one of the two bolas spiders in Japan. This report documents phenology, hunting behavior of newly emerged spiderlings, and the construction of bolas by subadult and adult females of O. sexspinosus. Ordgarius sexspinosus is univoltine, overwinters in the nymphal stages inside egg sac, and the female produced 3-6 egg sacs. Spiderlings of earlier stages and males did not make bolas during their perching at the leaf margins. Subadult and adult females employed bolas to capture moths. The behavior of bolas construction was very similar to that of the genus Mastophora, except that it holds the bolas thread by a second leg instead of a first leg. The bolas sometimes consisted of two different sticky balls. © 2002, Arachnological Society of Japan. All rights reserved.