Arachnids

This is a photo of Siler collingwoodi, an ant-mimicking spider. Credit: Hua ZengResearchers uncovered the survival strategy of Siler Collingwoodi spiders through imperfect ant mimicry, challenging the traditional emphasis on perfect mimicry in predator evasion.In the immense world of the animal kingdom, a host of species have developed their unique mimicry skills to attract prey or confuse predators. The deceptive act, however, is not always reliable. A recent Peking University study observes a jumping spider’s unlikely…

Black widow spiders across the southern United States are getting eaten up by brown widows, their lesser-known cousins, according to new research investigating the relationship between the two arachnids.Three species of black widow are native to the United States; brown widows are believed to be native to Africa but are now present on all continents but Antarctica.While black widows are a shy spider species—only getting aggressive when they are pinched or pressed—brown widows seek out black widows to bite. Bit(e) by…

We’ve likely all killed a spider or two in the past, but what if that arachnid’s corpse could be repurposed into something useful? Well, researchers at Rice University in Texas think it can and are pioneering the field of “necrobotics” by injecting dead spiders with air to use them to grasp small objects.When Rice University assistant professor of mechanical engineering Daniel Preston was setting up his lab, he and graduate student Faye Yap wondered why a dead spider in the corner of the room had its legs curled up. It…