Notes on the Biological Studies of Filistata insidiatrix (Forskål, 1775) (Araneae: Filistatidae) As A Predator of Insect Pests

Spiders represent one of the most important natural predatory species, they are completely dependent on predation as a trophic strategy, seizing only live animals. In natural and semi-natural agro-ecosystems, spiders play an important role in pest control. Where they feed on some types of pests and reduce their density. Filistata insidiatrix habitats in evergreen, hard-leaved shrubs, tree trunks, under stones, and low woods, it builds irregular webs with retreat tubes.This study was conducted to rear F. insidiatrix as arthropod predators of different prey species, i.e. Drosophila melanogaster, Egyptian cotton leaf worm Spodopetra littoralis and greater wax moth or honeycomb moth Galleria mellonella.F.insidiatrix was reared in the laboratory under at room temperature to study the biology and feeding potential. After the egg sac incubation period, males reached maturity after five spiderling instars (172.4 ± 1.82 days), and females after seven spiderling instars (251.3 ± 2.54 days) before reaching adulthood. Thirty-three spiderlings were reared individually (each one alone), and twenty-five spiderlings were reared together (communal rearing). F. insidiatrix showed promising activities against the Egyptian cotton leafworm S. littoralis, and greater wax moth or honeycomb moth G. mellonella. Further investigations are still needed to evaluate their efficacy under greenhouse and open-field experiments