Diversity and abundance of spiders in the flora of the fruit area around Lleida (NE Spain)

Abstract: The identification of flora that is useful to provide shelter and food for spiders andthereby increasing the biological control of pests was studied in the fruit tree region of Lleida(Spain). The study was carried out in different areas, according to the presence of fruit treeorchards and edapho-climatic conditions. Herbaceous plants were sampled by an insect suctionsampler. All the individuals captured in each sample were identified at family level. The mainplants hosting spiders during spring were Anacyclus clavatus (Desf.), Dorycnium pentaphyllum(Scop.), Erucastrum nasturtiifolium (Poiret), Euphorbia serrata (L.), Hedysarum confertum(Desf.), Papaver rhoeas (L.) and Trifolium pratense (L.). For the autumn period, most importantspecies were Atriplex sp., Dittrichia viscosa (L.), Medicago sativa (L.), Moricandia arvensis (L.),Salsola kali (L.), Sorghum halepense (L.), Suaeda spicata (Willd.) and Verbena sp. The spiders’families most abundant on the plants were Thomisidae, Linyphiidae and Oxyopidae.