Feeding on nectar and honeydew sugars improves survivorship of two nocturnal cursorial spiders

Abstract: Sugars from extrafloral nectar and honeydew may be important resources for nocturnal cursorial spiders such as Cheiracanthium inclusum (Hentz) and Hibana futilis (Banks). C. inclusum spiderlings given only water survived an average of 6.1d. When provided with cotton extrafloral nectar and mealybug honeydew, their survivorship was extended to an average of 52.6 and 37.9d, respectively (870% and 626% increases). Choice tests demonstrated conclusively that spiders fed on nectar, honeydew and sugar solutions to obtain nutrients, and not simply to obtain moisture. Component sugars of extrafloral nectar (sucrose, glucose and fructose) and honeydews (maltose, melezitose and raffinose) were equally acceptable for feeding by H. futilis, but not for C. inclusum. Maltose was fed on by C. inclusum for significantly shorter periods than the other plant and honeydew sugars. Consumption of each of the individual sugars by H. futilis improved spiderling survival significantly over water, but less for raffinose than for the other sugars. The percent improvement in mean H. futilis survival over water alone varied from 394% for raffinose (mean=16.6d) to 1414% for maltose (mean=56.9d). The remaining four sugars extended survival greater than 1079%. That spiderlings survived for weeks on diets comprised only of individual sugars indicates that the availability of nectar and honeydew can be of considerable importance to the survivorship of cursorial spiders in the field. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]