author(s)
Mithra Mohan and Melvin Mohan S

abstract
Spiders, the largest group of invertebrate predators, play a significant role in controlling the pest population in natural ecosystems. Potential attributes of spiders that make them efficient bio control agents are good searching capacity, broad spectrum prey range, number of organisms consumed in a lifetime, overwintering as adult stage and adaptations to live under dearth periods. Recent trends in agriculture accentuate the need for conservation of spiders in agro ecosystems and project it as a potential candidate for natural pest control mechanism.