Why Do Spiders Kill Each Other?

Spiders are members of the arachnid family. They are different from insects in many ways. Some of these differences include the number of eyes, spinnerets and body fluids.

Female spiders can cannibalize males after mating. This practice is common among many species of spiders. Several studies have examined the reasons for such behavior. Researchers have suggested that cannibalism may occur due to sperm competition, size motivation, and other complex evolutionary factors.

Studies have found that females cannibalize males at a higher rate when the number of available males is high. These findings have implications for the ecology of sexual cannibalism.

The most well-known example of cannibalism is the black widow. However, most species do not engage in such activities.

Another common type of cannibalism is web sexual cannibalism. This type of cannibalism occurs during copulation. A large number of female spiders cannibalize males after mating, often in order to provide their own sustenance or to keep reproductive options open.

Web sexual cannibalism occurs in several arachnid orders. Most of the time, the spiders that engage in this form of cannibalism are tarantulas.

In order to examine the prevalence of cannibalism, researchers conducted an experiment. During a field experiment, female tarantulas were exposed to males. They were then monitored for cohabitation and mating.

Females who were cannibalistic were found to be more active in eating than non-cannibalistic ones. They also were more likely to produce more babies. Their babies were also in better health than those of non-cannibalistic females.