Do Web-Spinning Spiders Ever Leave Their Webs in Search of Prey?

Web-spinning spiders are some of the most fascinating creatures in the insect world. While they are known for their intricate webs, do these spiders venture away from their homes in search of prey?

Web-Spinning Spiders and Hunting Behavior

Yes, web-spinning spiders can leave their webs in search of prey if nothing gets caught. This is more common in certain species and can be influenced by several factors, including environmental conditions, the availability of prey, and the spider's specific hunting strategy.

Active Hunting or Peanut Watching?

Most web-spinning spiders rely primarily on their webs to catch food. However, if there is no prey caught for an extended period, some spiders may venture out to hunt. Orb-weavers, for example, are specialized flying-insect hunters that can eat their own webs, conserving proteins and regaining energy. Orb-weavers can build and dismantle webs regularly and move to new locations without much energy loss.

Web-Building Location Selection: A Strategic Move

While web-spinning spiders primarily build their webs to capture prey, they also carefully choose the location for their webs. These locations depend on the spider's specific species and their hunting needs. Spiders can detect the presence or abundance of their preferred prey, and they may also rely on environmental cues. These cues can include proximity to bodies of water, the presence of certain plants, distance from the ground, and the presence of other webs.

Factors Influencing Web-Building Location

Spiders move to new locations if they don't catch any prey or if the site is frequently disturbed. However, web-building is an energy-expensive endeavor, so most spiders only relocate if they truly need to. This is great news for the spiders, as they can conserve energy most of the time. As motionless ambush predators, web-spinning spiders can last a long time without eating.

Seemless Migration: Building and Relocating

Orb-weavers are adept at recycling web materials and rebuilding if necessary. They can move to new locations relatively easily, which allows for regular change in their web-building habits. Cellar spiders, on the other hand, build permanent webs and only move to new ones if the old ones become too gunky or damaged. This leads to a cluttered area of webs built over each other and on every available surface.

Spider Silks and Competition

Web-building spiders are not only content with their webs; they compete for ideal locations. Spiders may even fight over an ideal spot, with the strongest spider getting the prime real estate. Furthermore, some spiders will go so far as to attack other spiders in their webs, securing the new web and the meal at the same time.

These fascinating behaviors highlight the strategic and efficient nature of web-spinning spiders. Their willingness to leave their webs and the factors that influence their web-building and hunting strategies are crucial to their survival and success.