How Good Is A Spiders Hearing?

Spiders are a diverse species, capable of hearing sounds at a few metres away. They may also use their web to detect the source of a sound. But it is unclear whether spiders actually hear things that go bump in the night. Previously, it was assumed that spiders only had a limited ability to sense sound, especially when it came to distant sounds. However, a new study has shown that spiders can hear things that are much farther away than we would normally expect.

The study by researchers from Binghamton University found that spiders can hear sounds through vibrations in their web. They did this by playing different sounds to spiders and recording their responses. The results suggest that spiders can listen for nearby predators and track their prey.

The researchers used a mini-speaker to send sounds into the air and then into a spider’s web. The mini-speaker was placed five centimeters away from the web’s surface. The resulting sound wave travelled easily through the web. It died down in volume as it moved through the air, but the spiders still responded to it.

Researchers also tested the strength of the signal. A loudspeaker at three metres away produced a 68 decibel sound that the spiders reacted to. When they heard a sound with a low frequency, they flattened their bodies. This likely triggers an anti-predator response. They also showed a tendency to freeze when they heard a low rumble.

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