Temporal and spatial positioning for foraging optimization in the subsocial spider Anelosimus studiosus (Araneae: Theridiidae)

In subsocial colonies of Anelosimus studiosus, females and their maturing offspring share a web and cooperate in web maintenance and prey capture. We will present data on how these spiders position themselves on a daily cycle to capture prey, and how their positions change not only to optimize prey capture, but to avoid potential predators as well. The spatial and temporal dynamics of this system were observed in webs built on a controlled substrate and used to test and refine a particle swarm optimization model. This model considered natural prey densities with respect to time of day, prey escape behavior, and the cooperation dynamics used by these spiders.