1978] 
Robinson & Robinson — Acanthops falcata 
247 
These come in 18 inch lengths, with separate plugs. They can be cut 
to the required size and fitted with a removable plug at each end. 
One cap was fitted with a moist cotton ball and either cap could be 
used to introduce food. Webs were rarely attached to both caps. 
FEEDING SPIDERS. 
Drosophila, the most readily available food, are probably larger 
than the natural prey of 2nd instar spiderlings of most species and 
when used live usually break the fragile web and escape. Dead 
Drosophila placed in a spiderling’s web are usually found and eaten 
soon after being introduced. If they are ignored at this stage, the 
spider feeds on them when the web is taken down. For later instars, 
prey of an appropriate size, immobilized in the freezer, can be 
placed or dropped in the webs. Spiders drink water from their webs, 
and even in the humid tropics, once the spider has been transferred 
from a vial to a cage we spray the webs with rain water daily. 
We are (September 1978) presently undertaking a long research 
trip to Papua New Guinea and have given our culture of Acanthops 
falcata to the Insect Zoo, National Museum of Natural History, 
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560, who hope to 
maintain it. 
References 
Crane, J. 
1952. A comparative study of innate defensive behavior in Trinidad mantids 
(Orthoptera, Mantoidea), Zoologica, N.Y., 37: 259-263. 
Robinson, B. & M. H. Robinson. 
1978. Developmental studies of Argiope argentata (Fabricius) and Argiope 
aemula (Walckenaer). Symp. Zool. Soc. Lond., 42 : 31-40. 
Robinson, M. H. 
1969. The defensive behaviour of some orthopteroid insects from Panama. 
Trans. R. ent. Soc. Lond. 121 : 281-303. 
Robinson, M. H. & B. Robinson. 
1975. Techniques in the field study of spiders. Bull. Brit. Arach. Soc., 3: 160-165. 
1976a. Discrimination between prey types: an innate component of spider 
predatory behaviour. Zeit. f. Tierpsychol. 41 : 266-276. 
1976b. The ecology and behavior of Nephila maculata: a supplement. Smith- 
sonian Contrib. Zool. 218 : 1-22. 
Roeder, K. D. 
1935. An experimental analysis of the sexual behavior of the praying mantis 
( Mantis religiosa L.), Biol. Bull. 69: 164-184. 
1963. Nerve Cells and Insect Behavior, Harvard Univ. Press. 
