Item

Carbon dioxide versus cold exposure for immobilising live redback spiders Latrodectus hasseltii Thorell, 1870 (Araneae: Theridiidae)

Smith, VR
Vink, Cornelis
Paterson, Adrian
Date
2015
Type
Journal Article
Fields of Research
ANZSRC::0608 Zoology , ANZSRC::0602 Ecology , ANZSRC::31 Biological sciences
Abstract
Studying live spiders often involves non-lethally immobilising them. The use of CO₂ and refrigeration were investigated, both alone and combined, as methods for immobilising redback spiders (Latrodectus hasseltii). Specimens of L. hasseltii were exposed separately to CO₂ and cold temperatures (4.2°C) for time intervals ranging from 5 to 12 s and 4 to 45 min, respectively. Subsequent behaviour exhibited by the spiders was described as either positive or negative: if handling and removal from the container were possible without risking escape or injury this was described as a positive reaction. Conversely, if the spider was too active to be handled the reaction was counted as negative. Two minute CO₂ exposure had a significant positive effect on spider response; refrigeration and combining the two treatments did not produce significant effects. Carbon dioxide was the most successful method of immobilising spiders; however, we caution using it for endangered species until further research has been conducted into long-term effects.
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© 2014 The Entomological Society of New Zealand
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