130 
Psyche 
[September 
(The functional interpretation of these behaviors is that pulling 
prey from the web results in less web damage than wrapping in situ 
and subsequent cutting out. This can easily be substantiated by com- 
paring the web damage resulting from the two techniques of prey- 
removal. Wrapping after removal from the web has a trussing 
effect which reduces the bulk of the prey and may facilitate its 
transportation to the feeding site.) 
After the prey is freed from the web, and trussed in some cases, 
it is transported to the hub of the web. Here the spider employs 
one of two techniques. It may either carry the prey held in the 
chelicerae, perhaps supported by one or both of the first legs, or it 
can carry the prey package on a silk thread hanging from the spin- 
nerets and supported by one or both of the fourth legs. Prey carried 
to the hub in the jaws are wrapped on arrival at the hub and then 
suspended from the hub silk as the spider turns to assume its preda- 
tory posture. Prey that are carried suspended on silk are not wrapped 
on arrival at the hub but are suspended. Nephila clavipes does not 
store prey at the capture site but carries all prey to the hub where 
it is hung until previously caught prey are consumed. Very small 
prey, carried to the hub in the jaws, may not be wrapped on arrival 
(but prey as small as stingless bees — io-30mg in weight — are 
regularly wrapped on arrival at the hub). 
The return to the hub from the capture site is carried out in a 
forwards direction after the spider has turned to face the hub at 
the capture site. ( Nephila maculata frequently backs slowly up the 
web, without turning, when carrying prey in its jaws.) When the 
spider has assumed its normal head-down predatory position it may 
undertake more or less extensive grooming activities before taking 
up the prey in its jaws and anterior legs. These are very similar to 
those that Robinson & Olazarri (1971) described for Argiope 
argentata. Prior to the commencement of feeding the spider often 
carries out extensive manipulations of the prey during the course 
of which small bites are given to region after region of the prey 
body. 
We have a few records of prey being wrapped after removal from 
the web and then being transported in the jaws. Most prey that are 
trussed in this way are then carried suspended on silk behind the 
spider. Heavy prey are also carried in this way, but as in the case 
of Argiope argentata , the weight threshold for the changeover from 
carry in jaws to carry on silk varies from individual to individual, 
and from time to time within individuals (see Robinson 1969, 
p. 1 70-1). 
