I have foud that it is quite difficult to collect spiders from dense grasslands, both using the "beating" method or the vacumm.
Hello Julian; For ground foraging spiders, pitfall traps are widely used. Wide-mouthed traps (15 cm or more) are able to catch fast, agile species. The fluid used will depend on how frequently the traps are refreshed. Water or ethanol with a few drops of detergent work if the traps are visited daily. Propalene glycol evaporates slowly and is not toxic. Ethylene glycol doesn't evaporate but is toxic. Best regards, Jim Des Lauriers
Hello Julian; In my experience, I prefer to collect spiders and insects directly, using wide-mouthed containers and a net to capture them. Also, I always carry forceps, plastic bags and different size vials with 70% ethanol with me to preserve them.
You can actively catch them with tarson tubes or other plastic aerated containers. If they are small then pooter can be used. Passively pitfalls work but they might die.
Thanks! We are working with jumping spiders (Salticidae) and only a few of them are found on the ground, that is why we do not use pitfall traps often. A good idea for pitfalls, is to use saturated salty water instead of alcohol or other products. It works great, it is very inexpensive and it can be found everywhere.
Nets worked fine over certain types of vegetation, but in other areas, with really thick and tall grass they are almost impossible to use. So far the "beating" methods is the most effective one (I would say the less ineffective) , and instead of a canvas umbrella we use a hard plastic tray.
An interesting question and now we know that the target is jumping spiders, family Salticidae. The main problem is that any method of collecting spiders only really surveys a part of the spider community. As Julian says, jumping spiders are generally not ground living and hence pitfall traps are not appropriate. Similarly, orb-web spinners are not ground living and hence only very infrequently occur in pitfall traps. Hence, one needs to devise a method that is appropriate for that section of the spider community of interest. Perhaps I can make 2 suggestions. (1) try timed hand searching (you can have a more or less quantitative measure if all searches are for, say, 15 minutes, though different searchers may vary in their ability to see the spiders). (2) try sticky traps, though it is possible that some predators may learn that 'free' meals can be found on the traps.
To collect spiders using net and forceps. most of the spiders are living in the dark storeroom. it can easily be captured, In some cases living in grassland.
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