Prey deprivation drives sucrose feeding in the cursorial spiders, Carrhotus viduus (Araneae: Salticidae) and Oxyopes javanus (Araneae: Oxyopidae)

Abstract Spiders are generally regarded as carnivorous predators, yet several taxa can exploit non-prey resources such as nectar and pollen. However, how cursorial tropical spiders utilize non-prey foods, particularly under varying prey availability, remains insufficiently understood and may differ between species. We conducted 2-choice feeding assays offering an aphid prey (Aphis craccivora) and a non-prey food (sucrose solution or bee pollen pellet) to examine the potential of feeding on non-prey foods in 2 cursorial spiders, the jumping spiders Carrhotus viduus and the lynx spiders Oxyopes javanus. A second 2-choice feeding assay comparing sucrose with bee pollen was used to assess whether prey availability influences feeding on non-prey foods. Both species fed on sucrose and bee pollen, although at lower proportions than aphid prey. Prey deprivation increased sucrose selection and prolonged sucrose feeding durations in both species, whereas bee pollen feeding was not affected by prey availability. Between species, O. javanus fed on bee pollen more frequently than C. viduus. The results indicate that sucrose solution and bee pollen can serve as supplemental nutritional resources for cursorial spiders during periods of prey scarcity, although the physical characteristics of bee pollen, particularly in pellet form, may constrain its utilization. These findings suggest practical implications for spider mass rearing and conservation biological control, particularly in the context of integrated pest management programs.