Do Spiders Keep Ants Away?
WouterIf you’re worried about spiders, you’re not alone. Most people are afraid of these tiny creatures, which are considered to be predators. Although most spiders are harmless to humans, some can kill you.
The truth is, spiders and ants can interact. This is why you should keep your home clean and tidy. By cleaning and dusting regularly, you can minimize the risk of pests entering your home and nesting there.
Researchers at the Simon Fraser University in Vancouver have been studying spiders and their ability to detect ants’ chemical scents. They found that spiders avoid building webs near ants.
They also discovered that spiders avoid chemical traces left behind by European fire ants. These ants, a destructive species of scavenger, can trample and kill spiders. Spiders and ants may have evolved to avoid this predator.
Researchers hope to find a chemical repellent for spiders. Scientists have not been able to find a repellent that works effectively. However, they believe that ants leave a chemical trail that may be the basis for a repellent.
Researchers used high speed video cameras to record interactions between the ants and spiders. They found that most spiders avoided filter paper that had been traversed by ants. However, they did not detect a chemical ant pheromone on the paper.
They did, however, notice that the ants were less likely to be around spiders. This could be because spiders are not as prevalent in ant colonies.
Despite these findings, researchers are not sure whether the spiders detected the chemical on the filter paper. It will be interesting to see if they are able to produce a repellent using this information.
