Can Spiders Get High From Weed Smoke?
WouterSpiders aren’t insects, but they can get high on certain drugs. For example, caffeine is a powerful stimulant that causes spiders to become impatient. It also causes them to build webs at random. Similarly, morphine isn’t a nutritional substance, so it doesn’t affect the spiders’ diet. However, it can cause them to become drowsy.
In the 1950s, German zoologist Hans Peters was interested in studying the patterns of spider webs. He teamed up with a colleague, pharmacologist Peter N Witt, to perform experiments on the insects.
The study was designed to find out whether or not the insects were affected by psychoactive drugs. As a result, scientists gave the spiders different drugs. One of these experiments involved the use of chloral hydrate, which is a sedative. Another drug tested was LSD, which acts on serotonin receptors.
Aside from alcohol, caffeine and morphine, benzedrine was also tested. When spiders were given benzedrine, they built sloppy, zig-zagged webs. Meanwhile, when the scientists gave the insects chloral hydrate, they gave up on web building quickly.
The researchers then tried the effects of marijuana. The resin from the plant has a psychedelic effect. Resin from marijuana is longer-lasting, and produces a deeper hit. Marijuana can also be mixed with yoghurt to produce a more potent hit.
Interestingly, the ants were not affected by the drugs. Instead, they were drowsy and had a hard time foraging. Perhaps this was due to carbon monoxide, which can reduce the amount of oxygen in the air.
