A basic feature of all predator-prey interactions is the trade- off between predator ability to locate prey and prey ability to avoid predators. Spiders that weave aerial webs and their insect prey are an ideal system for exploring this trade-off. A web, the physical manifestation of the foraging mode of a predator, can be manipulated and the response of the prey can be quantified. Moreover, while most studies on predator-prey interactions focus on the effect of predators on prey populations, studies on spiders and insects should yield insight into mechanisms of co-evolution. Dr. Craig's research is designed to show how the avoidance behavior of prey may affect the foraging modes of a predator. Specifically, she asks (1) if the ability of insects to learn and remember web locations is inhibited by the day-to-day variation in the web decorations spun by a species of tropical spider, (2) if color and design of the decorations are equally important in attracting prey, and (3) if stingless bees that have learned to avoid one type of spider web are able to recognize and avoid webs spun by other spider species that differ in architecture but are spun from silks with similar spectral properties. This research will take an initial step in studying the perceptual capabilities and behaviors of insects that may have affected the evolution of the aerial-web-weaving foraging mode. The results will be of general interest to investigators studying insect perception, learning, and foraging behavior and to those interested in the evolution of predator-prey interactions.
