Facts About Spiders That Will Blow Your Mind
Image Credit: sirinya34/123r
Spiders, the eight-legged creatures that often strike fear into the hearts of many, are far more than just frightening beings lurking in dark corners. Despite their bad reputation, spiders are fascinating, complex creatures that play an important role in our ecosystems.
Their ability to spin intricate webs and their surprisingly diverse eating habits make these arachnids deserving of our admiration.
Here are 10 mind-blowing facts about spiders that you probably didn’t know.
Spiders Can Live for Decades
While most spiders live for only a couple of years, some species are known for their long lifespans. Take the Gaius villosus, also known as the trapdoor spider, for example. The oldest known individual of this species, aptly named Number Sixteen, lived a remarkable 43 years.
This incredible feat was recorded by arachnologist Barbara York Main, who began monitoring the spider’s burrow in the North Bungulla Reserve in Australia in 1974. The trapdoor spider’s sedentary lifestyle, with rare forays from its burrow, contributed to its longevity.
Sadly, Number Sixteen met its end in 2016 after being stung by a parasitic wasp, but its lifespan still far outstripped that of most other spiders. This record-breaking spider surpasses even the previous oldest-known spider, a 28-year-old Mexican tarantula.
Spiders Can Grow Back Lost Legs
It’s not uncommon for spiders to lose a leg due to predation or accidents, but what’s truly remarkable is their ability to regenerate these limbs. Known as autotomy, this ability allows spiders to detach their legs in the face of danger to escape predators.
Once the spider has enough molts left in its lifetime, it can regrow the leg it has lost. Typically, it takes two to three molts for the leg to be fully regenerated. Even if the leg doesn’t grow back fully at first, spiders can still use the shorter leg for tasks like web-building and locomotion.
Studies on spiders’ regenerative abilities have stunned scientists, especially because a new, regrown leg can still function even though it is underdeveloped and unfamiliar to the spider’s nervous system.
Brazilian Wandering Spider Causes Erections in Men
Known for its aggressive nature and potent venom, the Brazilian wandering spider (Phoneutria) is one of the most dangerous arachnids in the world. Native to South and Central America, these spiders are infamous for their ability to deliver highly toxic bites that can cause severe symptoms such as convulsions, fever, and even death.
However, there’s a strange twist: the venom of this species has a curious side effect in men. It can cause a prolonged erection that may last for hours.
While this might sound like a bizarre quirk, it’s actually dangerous. The condition, known as priapism, can result in tissue damage and necrosis if not treated.
Researchers are investigating the compounds in the spider’s venom as potential treatments for erectile dysfunction, offering a potentially groundbreaking avenue for medical science.
The Mystery Behind the Name “Tarantula”
Tarantulas, one of the most well-known spider species, are named after the Italian town of Taranto, which became infamous in the Middle Ages.
At that time, a strange illness struck the residents of the town, causing fatigue and a catatonic state. It was believed that the venom of the local wolf spider was to blame, and sufferers were often cured by dancing to lively music.
This cure became known as tarantism, named after the town. The connection between the illness and the spider was eventually debunked, but the association between tarantulas and the disease persisted.
It is now thought that the condition may have been a form of psychological distress, as the illness predominantly affected women suffering from social pressures.
Despite the historical confusion, tarantism has since become a part of Italian folklore, with the energetic tarantella dance still performed today.
Spiders Can “Fly” Through the Sky
Spiders may not have wings, but they’ve developed a remarkable method to travel long distances: by “ballooning.” Ballooning is a behavior in which small spiders release silk threads into the air, which catch the breeze and allow them to float over great distances.
This technique is akin to a reverse parachute, and it’s been witnessed on large scales, such as after environmental disasters like floods or wildfires. In these cases, it can seem as if spiders are raining from the sky, creating a surreal, eerie spectacle.
Ballooning helps spiders colonize new areas, spread their species, and escape unfriendly environments.
The One Herbivorous Spider in the World
While spiders are traditionally known as carnivorous, preying on insects and other small animals, one species has defied expectations by adopting a largely herbivorous diet.
The Bagheera kiplingi, a small jumping spider found in the jungles of Mexico and Central America, primarily feeds on the Beltian bodies produced by acacia trees. These protein- and sugar-rich structures are located on the tree’s leaves, and the spider takes advantage of this abundant food source.
Occasionally, the spider will also consume acacia nectar or the larvae of Pseudomyrmex ants. In return for the protection offered by the ants, the acacia trees provide a constant supply of food for the B. kiplingi spiders.
This fascinating relationship demonstrates that not all spiders are meat-eaters—some have evolved to exploit plant-based resources.
The Use of Spider Silk in Military Technology
Spider silk is renowned for its incredible strength and flexibility, and it’s no surprise that it has been utilized in human technologies.
During World War II, spider silk became a key material for creating precision instruments, particularly crosshairs used in gun sights, airplane bomber sights, and submarine periscopes.
The silk threads were incredibly fine, requiring spiders such as the black widow, golden garden spiders, and European garden spiders to produce high-quality threads. These threads were highly sought after, with one spider able to produce up to 1,000 feet of silk in its lifetime.
While this practice has since been discontinued, it highlights the importance of spider silk in engineering, where it has been used for applications in medicine, textiles, and even space exploration.
Do Spiders Dream?
In 2022, a study revealed that jumping spiders might be capable of dreaming, a discovery that stunned researchers. During the study, the team observed Evarcha arcuata jumping spiders exhibiting unusual muscle twitches while suspended from silk threads at night.
These twitches were reminiscent of the behavior seen in dreaming mammals, such as dogs or cats. This discovery is the first evidence that suggests spiders may experience a dream-like state.
While the evidence is not conclusive, it raises intriguing questions about spiders’ cognitive abilities and their capacity for complex mental experiences.
One Type of Spider Lives on Mount Everest
It may seem impossible for any creature to survive in the harsh, barren conditions of Mount Everest, but spiders are more resilient than you might think. In 1924, explorer R.W.G. Hingston reported finding spiders living on the slopes of the world’s highest mountain at an elevation of 22,000 feet (6,705 meters).
These hardy spiders were found on snow-free rocks and stones, making them the highest-living organisms on Earth at the time. The species, known as the Himalayan jumping spider (Euophrys omnisuperstes), is thought to feed on small insects blown up the mountain by the wind.
Their remarkable survival at such an extreme altitude is a testament to spiders’ resilience and adaptability.
Spiders That Produce Milk for Their Offspring
In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Science found that the Toxeus magnus jumping spider produces a substance akin to milk to feed its young.
The milk-like secretion, which is rich in fat and protein, is consumed by the baby spiders for the first 20 days of their life.
After this period, the young spiders begin to consume a mix of milk and insects, similar to how human babies transition to solid food.
The discovery of milk production in spiders challenges conventional wisdom and has raised fascinating questions about the evolution of parenting in arachnids.
