Why Do Spiders Kill Ants?
WouterSpiders can’t get rid of ants completely. Some species even enjoy them as a meal.
There are several reasons why spiders choose ants as a meal. One is that ants are very nutritious. They are protein-packed and have a lot of fat in their hind section. This allows them to synthesise hormones and enzymes. Ants also have sharp mandibles and stings that can kill.
Another reason spiders enjoy ants is because they use super sticky silk lines to capture their prey. When a spider approaches an ant, it feels it struggling as it wraps itself around the insect. The silk also helps the spider to bind itself to the ant.
Spiders have many different ways of catching their prey. Some prefer to immobilize their prey and others use multiple webs to catch their prey.
In some instances, they will even try to eat their prey alive. A crab spider, for example, can sneak up on unsuspecting ants and pounce on them.
Another type of spider is known as an aggressive ant-mimicry spider. It’s actually very rare for a spider to actually mimic an ant. Instead, they may attack a single ant or try to lure it to a nest with a pheromone.
But in the world of insects, it’s not uncommon for predators to struggle to find enough nutrition. For instance, the feather-legged assassin bug in Australia kills ants less than 3 percent of the time.
Other predators like the spitting spiders use their webs to trap their prey. Their spitting behavior is a way of ensuring that their web is in direct contact with their prey.
