A Strange Spider Within a Spider: Cyclosa’s Astonishing Decoy
Something large and bizarre, seemingly assembled from whatever was available – web threads, debris, and remnants – isn’t a creature of nightmares. It’s a decoy.
The real spider, much smaller (only about 5 mm), hides beneath the “abdomen” of its intimidating counterpart.
These clever decoys are crafted by spiders of the Cyclosa genus from the orb-weaver family (Araneidae). Typically, the real spider positions itself on the edge of the web, subtly pulling on the silk threads. This causes the fake spider to move, creating the illusion of a living, menacing predator from afar.
The decoy itself is a masterpiece of recycling. Cyclosa spiders construct it from leaf fragments, leftover egg sacs, and the desiccated bodies of previous victims. These creations serve as a diversion, tricking predators like paper wasps, birds, or lizards into attacking the decoy instead of the spider. This distraction gives the real spider precious time to escape.
There’s also a hypothesis that these web decorations attract more prey. Organic debris on the web hosts yeast-like fungi, which release chemicals that lure insects into the trap, increasing Cyclosa’s hunting success.
#Science #Biology #Arachnology #Spiders #Nature #Evolution #Insects #Survival #Decoy
Something large and bizarre, seemingly assembled from whatever was available – web threads, debris, and remnants – isn’t a creature of nightmares. It’s a decoy.
The real spider, much smaller (only about 5 mm), hides beneath the “abdomen” of its intimidating counterpart.
These clever decoys are crafted by spiders of the Cyclosa genus from the orb-weaver family (Araneidae). Typically, the real spider positions itself on the edge of the web, subtly pulling on the silk threads. This causes the fake spider to move, creating the illusion of a living, menacing predator from afar.
The decoy itself is a masterpiece of recycling. Cyclosa spiders construct it from leaf fragments, leftover egg sacs, and the desiccated bodies of previous victims. These creations serve as a diversion, tricking predators like paper wasps, birds, or lizards into attacking the decoy instead of the spider. This distraction gives the real spider precious time to escape.
There’s also a hypothesis that these web decorations attract more prey. Organic debris on the web hosts yeast-like fungi, which release chemicals that lure insects into the trap, increasing Cyclosa’s hunting success.
#Science #Biology #Arachnology #Spiders #Nature #Evolution #Insects #Survival #Decoy