The influence of predator cues on orb-web spider foraging behaviour

Animals are expected to alter their foraging behaviour depending on the risk of predation. We tested this idea using the orb-web spider Argiope keyserlingi. We measured the foraging investment of spiders in terms of web size and size of silk decorations in the presence of a predatory praying mantid, Pseudomantis albofimbriata. However, no limited evidence that A. keyserlingi alters its decorating behaviour and no evidence that this spider alters its web architecture in response to the presence of a mantid predator. We suggest that these spiders may use multiple cues to assess predation pressure and that they respond differently to predators based on past experience.