Effects of pesticide residues on ground-dwelling lycosid and micryphantid spiders in laboratory tests

Abstract

The effects of residues of three commercial pesticides in common use in Europe against cereal pests, on two dominant spider species, a lycosid and a micryphantid, were evaluated in the laboratory. Insecticide assay methods for juvenile and adult hunting and adult web-building, ground-dwelling spiders are described. Results varied with different sprayed substrates and species. Fenvalerate was more toxic than other pesticides and had a longer residual effect on all spiders when tested on moistened sand than on filter paper. Endosulfan was of high initial toxicity on sand, but was more toxic on filter paper to both adults and juveniles ofPardosa spp. Pyrazophos was non-toxic to the spiders tested, regardless of substrate. In general, the lycosids were more affected by pesticides than web-building spiders because of their different life strategies. A sprayed sand substrate matched field conditions better as a method to test the effects of pesticides on ground-dwelling spiders.