Abstract
Visual signals are commonly used by animals to manipulate both their prey and predators. The conspicuous silk structures included in the webs of many orb-web spiders, termed web decorations or stabilimenta, could be an example of this. The function of these curious structures remains controversial with some authors suggesting that they attract insect prey, while others suggesting that they camouflage the spider or deter predators. Here we test the hypothesis that web decorations increase the foraging success of 'Araneus' eburnus by attracting prey to the web. Using field correlations and field manipulations we show that decorated webs capture more prey per web area than undecorated webs under certain conditions.
| Original language | English |
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| Pages (from-to) | 563-575 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Annales Zoologici Fennici |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 2004 |