It turns out that spiders might have their own version of arachnophobia. Recent research has shown that these eight-legged creatures can get quite jittery when faced with another spider that’s bigger or potentially threatening. It seems our creepy-crawly friends have a fear of their own kind!
The Study
Researchers, led by Dr. Daniela Roessler, investigated the reactions of jumping spiders, or salticids, when they encountered larger, stationary objects. Surprisingly, these spiders exhibited a distinct “freeze and retreat” behaviour in response to these larger, potentially predatory models, just like a human might flinch at the sight of a scary creature. The study, dubbed ‘Arachno-Arachnophobia,’ revealed that salticids reacted with fear not just to live predators, but also to 3D-printed models designed to mimic them. Dr. Roessler explained, “Our experiments show that salticids demonstrate a robust, fast, and repeatable ‘freeze and retreat’ behaviour when presented with stationary predators.”
Ogre-Faced Spiders
On a different note, the ogre-faced spider has its own unique way of coping with the world. By day, these spiders are experts at hiding, but by night, they transform into skilled hunters. With their massive eyes, they excel in night vision and use their specialised leg hairs to detect sounds from up to two metres away, compensating for their lack of ears. According to Ron Hoy, a professor of neurobiology and behaviour, “Vibration detection works for sensing shaking of the web or ground, but detecting those airborne disturbances at a distance is the province of hearing.”
So next time you see a spider, remember—some of them might just be as nervous as you are!
