Nymphal development and egg production of Menemerus confusus Boesenberg et Strand

Abstract

Nymphal development and egg production of Menemerus confusus BOES. et STR. were investigated under seminatural rearing conditions. Eight 2nd instar nymphs emerged from mother's nest web in summer. Of these, four nymphs developed to male adults by the summer of the following year, while one nymph did so in the 3rd year. The number of molts required for maturity was 5. The other 3 nymphs developed to female adults in the summer of the 3rd year, and the number of molts required was 6. Six adult females collected from field in late spring lived for 3 years, except one died in the autumn of the 2nd year. Egg production was repeated 4-5 times by early September of the 2nd year, but 2 among them produced eggs once more in the spring of the 3rd year. The mean ± S.D. of egg number per oviposition was calculated to be 24.4±4.2 for the 1st, 17.8±2.1 for the 2nd, 14.3±3.2 for the 3rd, 12.2±5.5 for the 4th, and 12.7±1.5 for the 5th oviposition. The total egg number produced per female in life was 71.7±18.6 (mean ± S.D.).