Do Spiders Feel Pain?
WouterWhen you hear the word spider, the first thing you probably think of are creepy crawlies. But does this invertebrate really feel pain? The answer depends on the species.
Aside from being an intelligent and omnivorous creature, spiders also have a sophisticated nervous system. There are multiple systems in place to sense pain. And they may use it in a variety of ways.
Although spiders do not have the same complex neurological systems as mammals, there are still plenty of interesting ways they perceive pain. For example, they can detect vibrations of approaching prey. Their legs can also detect air currents. They even have a couple of sensory organs in their long, thin hairs.
Unlike humans, they don’t have a specialized pain detector in the center of their body. However, they do have blood cells that play a part in wound healing.
In addition to feeling pain, they also display an attention to detail and a keen sense of the surroundings. Unlike other animals, they don’t spin their own webs, but rather make silken nests to protect themselves from predators.
While they do not have a true brain, they do have a central nervous system. This includes a pair of ganglia that send signals to one another. These are linked together in a chain reaction, which ensures that the message gets processed faster.
Despite their lack of a brain, the spider’s central nervous system is actually quite capable of recognizing and assessing its surroundings. It can detect vibrations, recognizes the direction of a moving object, and knows which arm is which.
