International

Volume   Journal
II Number 2 2011for Environmental Rehabilitation and Conservation
[23-28]
Volume IV No. 1 2013 [97 – 98] [ISSN 0975 - 6272] 
[ISSN 0975 - 6272]

Diversity of Spiders in Agro-ecosystems of Barshitakli, District Akola,

Maharashtra

Amit B. Vairale

Received: April 01, 2012  Accepted: Feb 28, 2013  Online: May 15, 2013

Abstract
Spiders are among the most abundant
insectivorous predators of Terrestrial
ecosystem. Spiders play an important role in
insect pest control without any harm to agro-
ecosystem. Recently in agricultural fields
reduced pesticide use and ecological
sustainability have lead to increased interest in
spiders as potential biological pest control
agents. Spiders act as natural biological control
agent in agro-ecosystem. Considerably insect
populations increases when release from
predations by spiders. Regularly use of
pesticides in agricultural fields which
decreases the spider populations.
Spider species abundance in agro-ecosystem
can be high as undisturbed natural ecosystem.
Spiders act as pest control creature, which
feeds on crop destructive insects. Spiders are
beneficial bio-control agent of insect pest in
agro-ecosystem. A survey of Spiders was
carried out in Agro-ecosystems of Barshitakli,
For correspondence:
Department of Zoology, Ghulam Nabi Azad Arts,
Commerce and Science College, Barshitakli, District Akola.
(M. S.)
Email: abvairale25@rediffmail.com
District Akola. During the present study I have
reported 52 species of Spiders belonging to 14
Families and 22 genera. Spiders of Families
Araneidae, Clubionidae, Eresidae,
Gnaphosidae, Hersilidae, Lycosidae,
Oxyopidae, Philodromidae, Salticidae,
Scytodidae, Tetragnathidae, Theridiidae,
Thomisidae, Uloboridae were recorded during
the investigation.
Keywords: Diversity  Agro-ecosystems 
Spiders
Introduction
Recently in agricultural fields reduced
pesticide use and ecological sustainability have
lead to increased interest in spiders as potential
biological pest control agents. Spiders act as
natural biological control agent in agro-
ecosystem. Considerably insect populations
increases when release from predations by
spiders. Regularly use of pesticides in
agricultural fields which decreases the spider
populations.
Spider species abundance in agro-ecosystem
can be high as undisturbed natural ecosystem.
Spiders act as pest control creature, which
feeds on crop destructive insects. Spiders are

Diversity of Spiders in Agro-ecosystems of Barshitakli, District Akola, Maharashtra 

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Volume IV Number 1 2013 [97 – 98]
[ISSN 0975 - 6272] Amit B. Vairale

beneficial bio-control agent of insect pest in

agro-ecosystem. A survey of Spiders was Sr. No. Family Genera Species
carried out in Agro-ecosystems of Barshitakli, 1 Araneidae 04 10
District Akola. 2 Clubionidae 01 02
3 Eresidae 01 01
During the present study 52 species are 4 Gnaphosidae 02 05
reported of Spiders belonging to 14 Families 5 Hersilidae 01 01
and 22 genera. Spiders of Families Araneidae, 6 Lycosidae 02 06
7 Oxyopidae 02 05
Clubionidae, Eresidae, Gnaphosidae,
8 Philodromidae 01 01
Hersilidae, Lycosidae, Oxyopidae, 9 Saltisidae 02 08
Philodromidae, Salticidae, Scytodidae, 10 Scytodidae 01 01
Tetragnathidae, Theridiidae, Thomisidae, 11 Tetragnathidae 01 02
12 Theridiidae 01 02
Uloboridae were recorded during the
13 Thomisidae 02 07
investigation. 14 Uloboridae 01 01
During the investigation the abundance of Five Total 22 52
Family Spiders species were more. The Orb References
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Jumping spiders of Family Salticidae are habitates of the horse spider
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Family Araneidae form web and the insect pest nat. Hist. Soc. (42), 821.
entangled in web spiders feeds on them. The
Platnick, N. I. (2009): The world spider
members of Salticidae family i.e. jumping
catalog, version 9.5. American Museum
Spiders they directly capture the insect pest
of Natural History.
and feeds on it.
Jeyaparvathi, S., Baskaran, S. and Ga.
During the study 52 species belonging to 22
Bakavathiappan (2013): Biological
genera of 14 Spider Families. On the above
control potential of spiders on the
result and discussion it is clear that the Spiders
selected cotton pests Int. J. of Pharm. &
are very much important creature. Spiders are
Life Sci. (IJPLS), Vol. 4, Issue 4: April:
act as good Pest controller. Avoid the regular
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use of pesticides in agricultural fields which
Gajbe, U. A. (1999): Studies on some spiders
decreases the spider populations, so species
of the family Oxyopidae (Araneae:
abundance of spider in agro-ecosystem can be
Arachnida) from India. Rec. Zool. Surv.
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of insect pest in agro-ecosystem.
Gajbe, U. A. (2008c): Fauna of India and adjacent
Countries spider. (Arachnida: Araneae:
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