What is the nutrition of arachnids?

Answer 1

The arthropod diet is extremely varied and difficult to generalize owing to the vast diversity of the phylum; Arthropoda includes crustaceans, arachnids, myriapods, insects, and others. Their wide distribution amongst various habitats is reflected in feeding strategies. Some are specialists upon one particular food source, some are generalists, exploiting varied sources. Some are herbivorous; many insects would scrape, chew, or suck on plants, eat the pollen, nectar, fruit, or woody components. Spiders are predators, capturing and consuming insects. Some arthropods are parasitic and live off other organism's blood or cellular products or debris; some mites live only on mold. Crustaceans are often opportunistic eaters, will scavenge, or live off algae; some like lobsters prefer to predate on fish, molluscs, and other crustaceans. Krill eat mostly phytoplankton. Others, like woodlice, are detritivores, eating mostly dead plant matter. Some eat feces, like dung beetles. Some of the more unusual strategies involve symbiotic relationships in 'farming', such as certain species of ants like leafcutters which create then live off fungal farms built from harvested vegetation, a strategy also practiced by certain weevils and termites; some ants will capture and manage aphid populations and live off their secretions. In short, if something is remotely edible, there's bound to be an arthropod which consumes it.

Answer 2

The arthropod diet is extremely varied and difficult to generalize owing to the vast diversity of the phylum; Arthropoda includes crustaceans, arachnids, myriapods, insects, and others. If one considers the breadth of habitat for these, the great variety of feeding strategies becomes apparent which reflects this diversity. Some are herbivorous; many insects would scrape, chew, or suck on plants, eat the pollen, nectar, fruit, or woody components. Spiders are predators, capturing and consuming insects. Some arthropods are parasitic and live off other organism's blood or cellular products or debris; some mites live only on mold. Crustaceans are often opportunistic eaters, will scavenge, or live off algae; some like lobsters prefer to predate on fish, molluscs, and other crustaceans. Krill eat plankton, mostly phytoplankton. Others, like woodlice, are detritivores, eating mostly dead plant matter. Some eat feces, like dung beetles. Some of the more unusual strategies involve symbiotic relationships in farming or ranching, such as certain species of ants like leafcutters which create then live off fungal farms; or some ants will capture and manage aphid populations and live off their secretions. In short, if something is remotely edible, there's bound to be an arthropod which consumes it.

Answer 3

There are too many types of arthopods to give an answer regarding their feeding habits.