Settlement decisions by the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae

In silk-spinning arthropods, silk can be used for web building, protection, and communication. Silk is an informative material about the presence of conspecifics. It can therefore inform on habitat suitability and hence assist in habitat choice. In this context, we investigated the influence of silk on microhabitat choice by the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae. Three factors that could potentially influence habitat choice were manipulated: the strain, number, and the stage of mites. Our study showed that these factors all influence the choice of microhabitat. The tendency of whether to settle on a silk-covered area was influenced by the origin of mites (strain effect). Adult females showed a higher tendency to settle on an area covered with the silk laid by numerous congeners (number effect). Moreover, larvae seemed to be more responsive to the presence of silk than adults (stage effect). This suggests that individuals use silk as a social cue in selecting their microhabitat and that the spatial organization and group behaviour seem to be shaped by the individuals' response to social cues, such as the amount of silk already present.