Abstract:

To obtain information on the diet of the bridge spider (Larinioides sclopetarius) prey was collected from 160 spider-webs. Study sites were in Essen-Werden, Essen-Kettwig and Duisburg (Inner Harbor). Data were collected from July to October 2009. Approximately 11000 insects were collected and identified to the order level (n = 11) or family level (n = 16). The most important prey were chironomids (approx. 90 %), followed by hemipterans of the suborder Sternorryhncha (approx. 4 %). The other insect taxa each account for (much) less than 1 % of the spiders’ prey.