Feeding efficiency of the three species of hunting spiders, Chiracanthium i
nclusum Hentz, Hibana velox (Becker), and Trachelas volutus (Gertsch), was
investigated in laboratory, greenhouse, and field-cage experiments. Results
of the laboratory feeding efficiency tests showed that the predation rates
of these hunting spiders can be ranked as follows: H. velox > C. inclusum
> T. volutus. A similar trend of predation rates was obtained from the feed
ing efficiency test under greenhouse conditions. The predation efficiency o
f H. velox was further tested in a field-cage experiment because it was fou
nd to be a more efficient predator than C. inclusum and T. volutus from the
laboratory and greenhouse feeding efficiency tests. The results of the fie
ld-cage experiment indicated that as the population density of the citrus l
eafminer increases, the number of citrus leaf miner consumed by H. velox al
so increases. In addition, significantly more citrus leafminer larvae were
consumed when two to three H. velox were present inside the cage than when
only one H. velox was present.