Field studies have indicated that bolas spiders attract male moth prey, apparently by mimicking the odor of female moth sex pheromones. Three moth sex pheromone compounds, (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate, (Z)-9-tetradecenal, and (Z)-11-hexadecenal, were identified in volatile substances emitted by hunting adult female Mastophora cornigera spiders. These compounds are components of pheromone blends that attract some of this spider's moth prey species.
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Stowe et al. (1987) studied this question.
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