A number of authors (Brady 1964, Laster and Brazzel 1968, McDaniel et al. 1981, Young and Lockley 1985) have noted the importance of Oxyopids as a major predator of economically important agricultural pests. In 1961, Kayashima released 45,000
O. sertatus spiders into a
Cryptomeria forest in Japan (in a test plot) and noted a 53% reduction in damage by the
gall midge Contarinia inouyei. Other studies in India (Sharma & Sarup, 1979; Rao
et al., 1981) have noted similar results. However, some studies note that
O. salticus (and other Oxyopids) also prey on beneficial insects (e.g., bees and other pollinators), so their importance in pest control is somewhat questioned. ==Gallery==