Buzz
At first sight, the diminutive spider Zodarion cyrenaicum appears to be risking everything each time it seeks its next meal. Its target, the desert ant Messor arenarius, is three times its size and six times its weight. Yet, as David and the Red Viper have demonstrated, size isn’t the sole determinant of success—skill and strategy can level the playing field.
Curious about how these spiders consistently triumph over their much larger ant adversaries, Czech researchers observed the hunting behaviors of captive specimens in their laboratory.
The study revealed that both adult female and juvenile spiders depend on a powerful venom capable of paralyzing an ant with a single bite. However, they employ distinct strategies to avoid danger while waiting for the venom to take effect. (Adult males, on the other hand, do not hunt and instead share in the spoils of the females' or juveniles' kills).
Adult female spiders strike swiftly from behind, targeting the ant’s abdomen or hind leg with a bite before retreating to avoid retaliation, waiting until the ant succumbs.
“After being bitten, the ant ceased movement, standing motionless with its mandibles open,” the researchers noted. “The bitten limb contracted, and the gaster [the ant’s bulbous rear] curved beneath the thorax. This C-shaped posture persisted for several minutes before the ant collapsed onto its side. At this point, the spiders moved in to begin feeding.”
Juvenile spiders, due to their smaller size, adopt a unique strategy. They climb onto the ant, bite its abdomen, and cling to its back until paralysis sets in, preventing any counterattack. Despite their youth, their venom is remarkably potent. Although adult venom glands are over 50 times larger, the juvenile’s venom is only slightly slower in incapacitating their prey.
