Microclimate as a determinant in the choice of web site by the funnel web weaving spider, Agelenopsis emertoni.

Abstract

The funnel-web weaving spider Agelenopsis emertoni is extremely common in the secondary succession aspen-maple woods of the Douglas Lake region. Fieldwork was performed in an effort to determine the distribution and abundance of this species. Quite obviously the present study is still in a state of incompletion, warranting further study best attempted earlier in the season under more constant and higher population densities. Preliminary gradient analysis investigating the effect of leaf litter, and temperature, suggest that leaf litter is essential to stimulate web building in this species, and that temperatures above 27 C are consistently avoided. A more complete gradient analysis of these and other factors will, hopefully, be combined with the field observatiosn above to form a full-scale paper.