Although some of them eat the 'skeeters and such, something about spiders just gives me the creeps, ya know? Here's one that has a different way of hunting than most. You might find it interesting.
Spitting Spider
Photo credit: Andre Karwath
Forgoing a web for a more mobile mode of hunting, members of the family Scytodidae, the spitting spiders, constitute a particularly unique form of arachnid exceptionalism. Spitting spiders lack the silk-producing spinnerets common to more typical spiders.
Instead, these creatures live in forests and scamper around in pursuit of small prey items, which they capture by spitting a sticky, venom-infused mixture of fluids that immobilize the prey. The fluids are expelled from the poison glands and then fall upon the prey.
Next, the spider seizes the victim and injects a powerful venom that liquefies the insides of the prey before consumption. With a spindly appearance, the spiders have notably large venom glands to facilitate their copious spraying of venom and mucus.
The larger the prey, the greater the amount of mucus lobbed in its direction. The mucus is distributed through a head-shaking, spraying motion. Furthermore, these spiders have an interesting reproductive history to complement their remarkable hunting strategies. Females take two to three years to reach maturity and select males based on their pheromones. Mating takes place based on chance encounters, with care being taken by males to avoid being mistaken for prey.
Just what I need! A spider that actually spits at me. Bad enough when I get the web across my face and beard, now I have to worry about them spitting on me!
Coffee out on the patio this morning. Watch out for spiders, though!
4 comments:
I'm not fond of them either and this year seems to have been a bumper crop. I have gone through 2 cans of spinder spray since the begining of spring. the other night I opened the door to let Fred out and this huge thing came scampering into the house I almost missed the beast but I got him. They are fast.
But I'll sit with you on the patio.
The only spiders I like are tarantulas. They are fun to play with.
I liked spiders when I was a boy, catching them, keeping them in a jar, and feeding them insects. Of course after a few days I would then release them back into the wild. Spiders are really beautiful but some can be very dangerous. Never saw a spitting spider, so thanks for the information.
I am kind of a live and let live type. That being said I do not like them either.
Post a Comment