Orb-weaving spiders are fewer but larger and catch more prey in lit bridge panels from a natural artificial light experiment.

ABSTRACT: Artificial light at night is rapidly changing the sensory world. While evidence is accumulating for how insects are affected, it is not clear how this impacts higher trophic levels that feed on insect communities. Spiders are important insect predators that have recently been shown to have increased abundance in urban areas, but have shown mixed responses to artificial light. On a single bridge with alternating artificially lit and unlit sections, I measured changes in the orb-weaving spider Larinioides sclopetarius (Araneidae) web abundance, web-building behavior, prey-capture, and body condition. In artificially lit conditions, spiders caught more prey with smaller webs, and had higher body conditions. However, there were fewer spiders with active webs in those lit areas. This sug

SUBMITTER: Gomes DGE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7083158 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature