My Research
The brown recluse spider has been observed to actively search for dead prey and ignore living prey. This species has been termed as an opportunistic feeder rather than an obligate hunter/feeder, preferring dead prey instead of living prey. Other studies have looked into the level of satiation influencing the size of prey a spider is willing to attack. They found that brown recluses may be more willing to take risks on large prey if they have not eaten recently and have a lower response threshold to moving prey. I plan on building on the methods that these previous studies demonstrated, while adding some much needed information on this spider’s feeding habits and the variables that could be affecting it.
I am focusing on three hypotheses: sex of the brown recluse spider shape foraging behavior in prey choice, habitat of the brown recluse spider shape foraging behavior in prey choice, and by modelling different prey types in Oklahoma and the abundance of prey compared to that of the recluse, there will be a noticeable change of distribution over time due to urbanization of the spider.
There is a coevolutionary arms race between predators and their prey; by studying what aspects are affecting the brown recluse’s foraging habits, one can understand how this species has adapted since it has colonized urban areas.
