MALES VISITS TO FEMALES WEBS AND FEMALE MATING RECEPTIVITY IN THE SPIDER, AGELENA-LIMBATA (ARANEAE, AGELENIDAE)

Field observation on the reproductive behaviour in the funnelweb spider, Agelena limbata, was conducted. Copulation occurred primarily during the day. Some females copulated with different mates more than once. Females did not copulate immediately after their final moult and exhibited unpredictable mating receptivity patterns. Most males remained in females' webs for less than 1 day and copulated within the day of the visit. Males did not adopt a mating tactic of staying with a juvenile female until she moulted and matured, searching instead for adult female potential mates.