How Good Are Spiders’ Senses?
WouterSpiders have a lot of senses. They can smell, hear and even feel the air pressure in their webs. They use their webs to detect the movement of nearby predators. They can also sense changes in the temperature.
Their specialized senses allow them to avoid predators and locate prey. While humans and most mammals only have a few sensory organs, spiders are equipped with an incredibly complex central nervous system. This is why some arachnids are able to stay in their habitats and survive.
The two principal eyes of spiders are positioned so they can see a narrow boomerang-shaped strip of the world. They can use this vision to judge the distance to their prey. But their eyes can also provide them with a blurry, wide-angle image.
Another important sensory organ is the eardrums. They can detect the vibrations caused by nearby sounds and interpret them. These vibrations are converted to electrical signals and sent to the brain. The brain can then interpret these signals as sound. This ability could help explain how fast aerial strikes are made by predators.
Some spider species have hairs on their legs that can sense vibrations. The hairs can pick up vibrations as low as 100 hertz. These low-frequency tones are similar to the sound of wing beats by mosquitoes and flies.
The hairs also allow spiders to detect low-level vibrations on surfaces. They also perceive taste and touch stimuli. They also have sensitive nails that are used for detecting movement.
