Do House Spiders Have Memory?
WouterThere is no question that spiders have a strong cognitive and foraging system. They have abilities that rival those of birds. However, despite these impressive capabilities, their use of memory is surprisingly limited.
Spiders have a relatively small brain. However, their foraging system is highly adaptive. They can change their foraging behavior and the quality of the web to accommodate different circumstances. For instance, they can increase the size of the capture area or reduce the length of the threads when they detect a prey species.
When a spider encounters a prey, it will form a search image. This image is formed quickly and in a single encounter. While it is possible to make the same connection between a lure and its prey type at multiple times, the spider only needs to recall the prey type during the first encounter.
Spiders also have the ability to revert the associations between stimuli. They have the capacity to remember the position and vibration of a lure. This was demonstrated by Portia africana. She jumped over the lure when it was in a certain position. When it was in a different position, it jumped less.
In addition, they have the ability to modify the tension of the horizontal and vertical threads in the web. This enables them to change their attentional state.
When spiders have to create a web, they must choose a suitable place. They need a place where they can climb and hide. They also need good food.
