Habitat Structure and Colonial Behavior in Metepeira Spinipes (Araneae: Araneidae), an Orb Weaving Spider From Mexico

The topic of social phenomena in spiders has received much attention in the literature recently (Shear 1970; Kullman 1972; Burgess 1976, 1978; Buskirk, in press). Colonial, communal and cooperative behaviors have been observed in a variety of families and genera, mostly from tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Among the species of group-living spiders found in Mexico and Central America is Metepeira spinipes F . Pickard-Cambridge, an araneid reported to be the only colonial species in its genus (Levi 1977). We observed large numbers of these spiders in Central Mexico in 1975, and were able to collect some data, which we present here.