Geocoris spp. (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) and the Striped Lynx Spider (Araneae: Oxyopidae): Cross Predation and Prey Preferences

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Abstract
Laboratory studies investigated cross predation between Geocoris spp. and Oxyopes salticus Hentz and prey preferences of these two species. Geocorid adults consumed all eggs or emerging spiderlings from a single O. salticus egg sac if the mother spider was excluded, but they preferred Heliothis zea (Boddie) eggs in a two-choice bioassay; H. zea eggs or first instars were consumed over O. salticus juveniles (first to third instar) or third-instar geocorids. Geocoris spp. adults successfully attacked first- to third-instar spiders occasionally but did not cannibalize third-instar geocorids. Adult O. salticus females fed upon geocorid third instars and adults and first- to third-instar O. salticus at a rate of 1-2 per 24 h. Adult female O. salticus showed no significant preference for second-instar H. zea over first- to third-instar O. salticus or geocorids (nymphs or adults) but tended to take the more active prey. The results suggest that inundation of fields with Geocoris spp. is unlikely to reduce O. salticus populations, but predation by an increased O. salticus population could decrease geocorid populations.