Spider Super Hunters
Most people are familiar with spiders catching prey in a web or a scorpion stabbing another insect with its tail, but there are some insects out there with hunting techniques out of the norm. I’ve found a few of those today, and thought I might share them with you.
One spider uses a web to catch its prey, but not in the usual sense. Net-casting spiders do build a net to catch their prey, but its only the size of a stamp. Rather than building a giant net and then waiting for their prey to stumble into it, these hunters first place white faeces on the ground to serve as a target point. They then wait poised above the trap with the stamp-sized web held between its front legs for a poor unsuspecting insect to cross into its trap. The spider then rushes down and catches the creature in its net with incredible speed, bites the victim, and then wraps it up nice and snug to bring back to its lair.
Another spider that uses its web in a unique way is the bolas spider. This guy takes a page from the old west cowboys, constructing a “bolas” or type of lasso out of the thread with a sticky glob of silk at the end to use in the capture of prey. During their nighttime hunting sessions the spiders hide and wait for prey to cross their path, holding their weapon in one of their legs. When an insect crosses their path they whip out their bolas and lasso themselves up some grub. All this spider needs is a pair of chaps and some spurs.
What do you think of these clever hunters? Are you impressed with their ingenious use of their silken webs?
