Tag Archives: spiders

Nocturnal Spiders Employ Captured Fireflies as Luminous Lures to Entice Prey

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Sheet Web Spider Psechrus Clavis is known to utilize the coloration and web of its own body as visual cues to effectively capture and consume insects. Interestingly, it doesn’t immediately eat the male fireflies, referred to as Daifan Lampaloid; instead, these spiders retain them on the web, allowing the fireflies to continue emitting bioluminescent signals for up to an hour. This observation has raised intriguing questions among a research team from Tunghai University, the University of New South Wales, the Sydney Institute of Technology, and the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Taiwan.

Sheet web spider with fireflies caught in the web. Image credit: Tunghai University Spider.

Researcher I-Min TSO and colleagues at Tunghai University documented Psechrus Clavis retaining fireflies on the web while these insects continued to emit bioluminescent light for up to an hour.

They noted that the spiders periodically check for the captured fireflies.

Fascinated by this peculiar behavior, the researchers designed an experiment to see if it serves as a hunting strategy.

The experiment involved placing firefly-like LEDs on the actual sheet spider web, using other webs as controls.

The results indicated that the web with LEDs attracted three times as many prey compared to the control web.

This figure increased to ten times more prey when actual fireflies were visible.

The findings affirm that the presence of captured fireflies enhances the spider’s hunting success.

Researchers also discovered that the majority of captured fireflies are male and likely mistaken for potential mates.

“Our findings underscore the previously unrecognized interaction where Firefly Signals, intended for sexual communication, also benefit spiders,” remarked Dr. TSO.

“This study provides new insights into how sit-and-wait predators can adapt to attract prey, revealing the intricate complexities of predator-prey interactions.”

“This behavior may have evolved in sheet web spiders as a way to avoid the energy costs associated with producing their own bioluminescence, similar to anglerfish.”

“Instead, spiders can leverage the allure of their prey’s glow to attract their own targets.”

Video recordings taken during the experiments show sheet web spiders employing various tactics when interacting with different prey species.

The spider swiftly consumes a moth caught in the web but takes its time with the trapped fireflies.

“The varying treatment of prey suggests that spiders may use specific cues to differentiate between prey species and adjust their responses accordingly,” explained Dr. TSO.

“We hypothesize that the bioluminescent signals of fireflies help spiders to fine-tune their handling behavior towards different types of prey.”

This study was published in Journal of Animal Ecology.

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Ho Yin Yip et al. Visual seduction through bioluminescence of prey seduces waiting predators. Journal of Animal Ecology Published online on August 27th, 2025. doi:10.1111/1365-2656.70102

Source: www.sci.news

After Mating, Noisy Spiders Have a Taste for Their Peers—You’ll Be Surprised!

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Feedback provides the latest science and technology news from New Scientist, highlighting interesting items. You can reach out to Feedback@newscientist.com with stories that might intrigue readers.

Curious Connections

Earlier this year, feedback sought an example of “No kidding, Sherlock.” Reader Roger Eldem requested evidence supporting the claim that inadequate rest increases the risk of injury during prolonged tasks.

Roger hasn’t yet finished his research but continues to share examples of self-evident truths. Here are two more while we await further contributions. First, a paper published in June in Demographics presented findings concerning political preferences in relationships: Couples with opposing political views are more likely to separate. Phys.org has summarized this effectively: Research shows couples with conflicting political views face higher separation risks.

Feedback acknowledges that political differences can create tension in relationships. When did we start selecting partners solely by looks and style?

On the theme of problematic relationships, Roger shares another notable discovery from the 2016 Journal PLOS 1 titled Sexually cannibalistic behavior in colonial spider species. It discusses the dynamics of these spiders, where females often consume males post-mating. Research highlights that males may be choosy about their partners, preferring younger, more robust females.

As Phys.org aptly noted: Male orb-weaving spiders are often cannibalized by females.

No apologies here; feedback maintains its critical stance. The complexities are not as straightforward as they seem. Researchers indicate that males in solitary species may not be selected for, as they rarely encounter females, thus opting not to risk decapitation during mating. This contrasts with social species that carefully select males before sacrificing them for reproduction.

Clearly, many instances of “No kidding, Sherlock” exist. Can others find more examples? New insights are always welcome.

Disproven Fiction

As a long-time science fiction reader, Feedback enjoys revisiting stories that are now outdated. These narratives often held plausible premises that have since become unlikely or completely impossible.

Sometimes, what was once considered a “prediction” has been surpassed by time. For instance, Blade Runner was released in 1982 and set in 2019. Now, well over six years have passed since that date, with flying cars still absent. However, the film accurately portrayed the pitfalls of tech billionaires. Depending on your perspective, whether you subscribe to Star Trek or Terminator, the late 1990s were supposed to be defined by either superhumans born from eugenics or nuclear devastation.

We would like to highlight another phenomenon: groundbreaking scientific findings that undermine significant story premises. For example, World War discoveries previously attributed to the apparent absence of life on Mars.

A similar scenario unfolds in Revelation Space, a book by Alastair Reynolds. Feedback still cherishes these novels, and anyone who hasn’t delved into them should stop reading now.

The narrative revolves around the eventual clash between our galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy billions of years from now. Consequently, humanity is perceived to be limited by Inhibitors that restrict intellectual life until the crisis resolves.

However, on June 2nd, Natural Astronomy published a paper under an unexciting title: Uncertainty in Milky Way and Andromeda Collision. Researchers simulated the movements of galaxies within the local cluster and concluded that the current positioning and mass of galaxies leave room for dramatically different potential outcomes. They assert that “the fate of our galaxy remains completely open.”

Readers are encouraged to share other recent discoveries that have subverted plausible science fiction narratives.

More from GS

In the London Centric Newsletter, readers will uncover “The Real 5G Conspiracy: How Londoners Misrepresent Their Phone Signals“. The article addresses how, despite high mobile coverage signals, functional data download capabilities are absent. Londoners may claim to be connected to modern 5G networks, yet they lead lives devoid of 4G awareness.

The article was inspired by an app creator named SignalTracker, who tests various networks while roaming around London “with five different mobile phones.”

Capitalism continues to evolve. Reader Brian Darvel has drawn our attention to this mobile detective, Martin Sims.

Have you shared your feedback?

You can send your stories to feedback@newscientist.com, including your home address. Previous and current feedback can be found on our website.

Source: www.newscientist.com

NCA Investigates Cyberattacks on UK Retailers Linked to Scattered Spiders | Hacking

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The hacker group referred to as the Scattered Spiders is a major focus in criminal investigations concerning cyberattacks against UK retailers, including Marks & Spencer, according to detectives.

The Scattered Spiders, a loosely organized collective of native English-speaking cybercriminals, have been strongly associated with hacking incidents involving M&S, cooperatives, and Harrods. M&S announced on Wednesday that it anticipates a financial impact of approximately £300 million following the recent system breach.

The UK’s National Crime Agency, tasked with combating cybercrime, stated that investigating this group is a priority.

“We are aware of groups publicly identified as Scattered Spiders, yet we maintain various theories as we pursue the evidence to identify the perpetrator,” I informed the BBC.

He added: “Given the extent of the damage we’re witnessing, apprehending the individual responsible for these attacks is our foremost objective.”

Last week, Google informed the Guardian that its UK-based members of the Scattered Spiders were actively “promoting” cyberattacks and warned the US that efforts to infiltrate the UK retailers’ systems were being mirrored in the US.

Targeting specific industries and locations is a common strategy among the Scattered Spider community, who utilize platforms like Discord and Telegram for communication.

Hackers affiliated with M&S deploy ransomware or malicious software that encrypts targeted files. This type of cybercrime is typically associated with Russian-speaking gangs, rather than native English speakers from the UK or the US.

“We are aware that Scattered Spiders predominantly communicate in English, but this does not necessarily imply that they are located in the UK. They engage in online discussions across a variety of platforms and channels.”

Reportedly, these hackers have utilized ransomware known as Dragon Force in their operations, functioning as a ransomware as a service that leverages another group of malware and infrastructure to distribute financial gains from attacks. Ransomware attackers generally request payment in cryptocurrency to unlock encrypted files and return stolen data.

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Insights into the suspected Scattered Spiders can be found in a report from the US Department of Justice, which charged five individuals last year for targeting an unnamed American company through a “phishing” text message.

All defendants were in their twenties at the time of the allegations, with ages ranging from 20 to 25. Among them was Tyler Buchanan, 23, hailing from Scotland, who was extradited from Spain to the US.

Google also mentioned that “younger members” of the network often carry out various tasks, such as calling the company’s IT help desk or impersonating employees or contractors to gain access to computer systems. A former teenage hacker cited by the BBC remarked that it “would not surprise me” if a teenage hacker was behind a retail attack.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Gibellula Attenboloughii: The Fungi Species That Turns Cave Spiders Into Zombies

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Metanae woven spiders of infected sub-family living in a cave Gibellula AttenBoroughii It shows a change in behavior similar to what was reported about zombie ants.

Gibellula AttenBoroughii Habitat and paratype, on Metamenardi。 0.5 mm for scale bar- (c), 0.25 mm for (d). Image credit: Evans et al。 , Doi: 10.3114/fuse.2025.15.07.

Giberla It is a specific and pathogenic fungus on spiders containing more than 30 recognized species.

Most of these species have tropical distribution from subtropical.

There are few records of the genus of the British Islands. Gibellla Alanearam。

For BBC Winter Watch In the 2021 television series, a spid of fungi -infected was discovered on the ceiling of the abandoned gunpowder, taken at the Northern Ireland location, and was provisionally identified. Gibellula pulchra。

Image sent from BBC It suggests that HARRY EVANS is a new species to Cab International Researcher. Giberla Aus.

“Based on both morphological and molecular evidence, fungi was confirmed as a new species, and was named after a natural historian David Attenbow IR. BBC “Natural History Program,” said Dr. Evans, co -author of this research.

“Later, the spider host was identified as an orb -weaving cave spider. Metellina MerianaeAnd -with the help of a local ischemicist -further new species, Gibellula AttenBoroughiiIt was discovered in both Northern Ireland and the Ireland Republic of Cave systems and related spiders. MetamenardiOccupies in various ecological niches in the cave. “

Originally, like a type of specimen located on the ceiling of the gunpowder, all infected spiders were located on the roof or wall of the cave.

These normal CL proud spiders have moved out of the hierarchy and net and died in the exposed situation. In essence, it reflects the behavior of ants infected with the genus bacteria. OphioCordyCeps Previously, it was reported from the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil.

Such operations of the host to support the dispersion of the fungal spores have created an explanation of “zombieant bacteria”.

In their research, Dr. Evans and his colleagues used historical records and literature search to clarify hidden diversity in the subordinates. Giberla In the British Islands, there is evidence of a widespread illness of the Norfols and Wales spiders.

“Their roles in the dynamics of the spider group will guarantee further research as well as metabolites they produce, so that they can use such a very specific ecological niche,” he said. Ta.

The discovery is reported in A paper Journal Economics and evolution of fungi。

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HC Evans et al。 Bacterial attributes Giberla (Cordycipitaceae: Failure) In the British Islands, it includes a new zombie species of Orb -weaving cave spiders (Metanae). Economics and evolution of fungiReleased online on January 24, 2025. Doi: 10.3114/fuse.2025.15.07

Source: www.sci.news

The Top 10 Deadliest Spiders on Earth

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Poisonous spiders are known as some of the deadliest and most dangerous creatures in the world. They are the stuff of nightmares and horror movies, famous for their ability to paralyze and subdue their prey while still alive.

While most spiders have venom glands, only some pose a threat to humans. Certain species can cause pain and discomfort similar to bee or wasp stings, while others can be more severe.

If you are unfortunate enough to be bitten, seeking medical advice and treatment is recommended.

Here are the top 10 deadliest and most venomous spiders to be aware of:

10 – Mouse Spider

Eastern mouse spider (Missulena bradleyi) photographed in Brisbane, Australia. Photo by Robert White/Wikipedia Commons

Mouse spiders, despite their name, do not actually eat mice. They are named for their underground burrowing habits rather than their prey.

While their venom can cause headaches and numbness, mouse spiders are not typically aggressive, and there is generally no cause for alarm despite their intimidating appearance.

9 – Lycosa Tarantula Spider

Portrait of a spider wolf (Lycosa tarantula) taken in a field. Photo credit: Getty Images

The tarantula spider wolf is nocturnal and has excellent eyesight. While they may appear intimidating, they are rarely aggressive towards humans, and their venom is not highly dangerous.

8 – Bulbul Spider

Female adult brown widow (Latrodectus geometaus) on her web. Photo credit: Getty Images

Bulbul spiders, with their distinctive markings, are found worldwide. While their bites can cause pain and symptoms like vomiting, they are not as dangerous as some other species.

7 – White-Tailed Spider

The white-tailed spider (Lampona cylindrata) lives in southern and eastern Australia. Photo credit: Getty Images

White-tailed spiders prey on other spiders and can cause nausea and headaches if they bite humans. They are often found hiding in clothing and shoes.

6 – Minami Microcrystal Spider

A female black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) hangs upside down in its nest, displaying its distinctive red hourglass pattern. Photo credit: Getty Images

Black widow spiders are known for their venomous bites, but they only bite when threatened. While their venom can be harmful, serious illness or death is rare.

5 – Redback Spider

Australian redback spider (Latrodectus hasselti) on red soil. Photo credit: Getty Images

Redback spiders are known for their painful bites, which can cause headaches and nausea. They are commonly found indoors.

4 – Brown Recluse Spider

Front view of the brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa). Photo credit: Insects Unlocked/Wiki Commons

Brown recluse spiders are shy and typically avoid humans. Their bites can be painful and may cause vomiting or fever.

3 – Chilean Spider

An immature male brown spider (Loxosceles laeta) photographed at the Finnish Museum of Natural History in Helsinki. Photo credit: S Siltane/Wiki Commons

The Chilean spider can cause severe tissue damage and scarring with its bites. In rare cases, it may lead to kidney failure or death.

2 – Brazilian Wandering Spider

A Brazilian wandering or banana spider (Phoneutoria spp.) photographed in the Tambopata Nature Reserve in the Madre de Dios region, Peru. Photo credit: Getty Images

The Brazilian wandering spider is large and venomous, with a bite that can cause various symptoms including paralysis, respiratory arrest, and even death if untreated.

1 – Australian Funnel Web Spider

A poisonous Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robotus) showing its fangs. Photo credit: Getty Images

The Australian funnel-web spider is incredibly venomous and aggressive. Their bites can lead to serious illness or death, particularly in children.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Scientists successfully recreate Martian “spiders” in laboratory for the first time

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Martian “spiders” are small, dark, spider-shaped formations up to 1 km (0.6 miles) in diameter. The leading theory is that they form when spring sunlight hits a layer of carbon dioxide that builds up during the dark winter months. In a new experiment, a team of NASA scientists has recreated these formation processes for the first time, simulating Martian temperatures and air pressure.

Examples of “Keefer Zoo” features proposed to have formed by seasonal CO2 sublimation dynamics on Mars: (a) a “skinny” spider within layered deposits in Antarctica, (b) a dark spot on a layer of translucent CO2 slab ice covering a group of “fat” spiders in an “Inca city” on Mars, (c) a “fried egg” showing a ring of dark dust surrounded by a bright halo, (d) patterned ground within high Antarctic latitudes with dark directional fans and some bright white fans indicating wind direction, (e) a bright halo surrounding a Swiss cheese depression, (f) a “lacey topography”, a type of patterned ground suggested to be polygonal patterned ground that was later scraped and eroded by surface-flowing CO2 gas from the Keefer model. Image credit: HiRISE/NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/University of Arizona.

Today, Mars is a dynamic planet with a rich variety of surface changes, despite its thin atmosphere and cold climate.

In winter, most of Mars' mostly carbon dioxide atmosphere accumulates on the surface as frost.

In spring, it sublimates and takes on forms never seen on Earth.

These include dark Dalmatian spots, directional alluvial fans, “fried eggs”, grooves which may have dark finger-like flows or light “halos” in spring, dendritic “spiders”, sand grooves in active dunes and growing dendritic valleys.

These features have been detected in the loose material around the Antarctic and in the inter-dune material towards the mid-Antarctic latitudes, although some smaller phenomena have also been detected in the Arctic.

Many of these features make up the so-called “Kiefer zoo,” or collection of surface expressions. Explained It was first published in 2003 and was proposed to be produced by the solid-state greenhouse effect.

“In the Kiefer model, sunlight penetrates a translucent ice sheet in spring, trapping thermal radiation and heating the topsoil beneath the ice, causing the impermeable sheet to sublime from beneath,” explained Dr. Lauren McKeown of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and her colleagues.

“Through this process, the spiders are thought to be caused by high-velocity gases scraping away topsoil beneath the ice sheet, littering the ice surface with fan and patchy variations that are then deposited by dust and gas plumes.”

The study authors were able to create a complete cycle of the Kiefer model in the lab and confirm the formation of several types of Kiefer zookeeper features.

“The greatest challenge in conducting the experiment was replicating the conditions found on the polar surface of Mars, namely the extremely low air pressure and temperatures of minus 185 degrees Celsius (minus 301 degrees Fahrenheit),” the researchers said.

“To do this, we used a liquid nitrogen-cooled test chamber, the Dirty Under Vacuum Simulation Chamber for Icy Environments (DUSTIE).”

“In our experiments, we cooled a Martian soil simulant in a container submerged in a bath of liquid nitrogen.”

“We placed it in the Dusty Chamber, where the air pressure was lowered to the same as in the southern hemisphere of Mars.”

“Carbon dioxide gas was then released into the chamber, where it condensed from the gas into ice over a period of three to five hours.”

“It took a lot of trial and error before we found the right conditions to make the ice thick and clear enough for the experiment to work.”

“Once we have ice with the right properties, we place a heater in the chamber underneath the simulant to heat it up and crack the ice.”

“We were thrilled when we finally saw plumes of carbon dioxide gas coming out of the powdered simulant.”

a paper The explanation for these experiments is Planetary Science Journal.

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Lauren E. McKeon others2024. Laboratory-scale investigation of the Kiefer Model of Mars. Planet Science Journal 5, 195;doi:10.3847/PSJ/ad67c8

Source: www.sci.news

Fireflies used as bait by spiders to attract more prey

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A spider engulfs its shiny prey

New Hua Fu

Once the spider has captured a male firefly in its web, it turns the dead insect into food and uses its beacon light to lure in more prey.

New Hua Fu Researchers at China’s Huazhong Agricultural University found that male fireflies (Abscondita terminalis), but females of this species often get caught in the webs of orb-weaver spiders (Giant IsopodHe and his colleagues discovered that the spiders were using the flashing signals to lure the insects into their traps, and they wondered if this was what was luring them. Both males and females of this firefly species use flashing signals to court, with the females’ light shows drawing males to their location. So he and his colleagues investigated how the spiders were using this display of affection.

In farmland in China’s Hubei province, the team conducted a series of experiments on 161 different nests, some with spiders and some without. In each nest, the researchers placed male fireflies, some of which had painted the light areas of their abdomens black with ink. They found that nests that contained both spiders and free-flying fireflies attracted more male fireflies than nests without spiders or nests with only non-flying fireflies.

Also, the male fireflies that were tangled in spider webs emitted a different flash than normal — it was more like a female’s flash, emitting one flash instead of two — but the fireflies that were tangled in spider webs emitted normal flashes.

This suggests that the spiders manipulate the male firefly’s signals to mimic those of females and attract other males looking to mate, the team said. Lee Dae Geum The Hubei University researchers say they don’t yet know exactly how the spiders change the signals of their immobilized prey, but they have some ideas.

“The spider’s venom or the bite itself could lead to changes in the blinking patterns of captive males,” Lee said.

Li is interested to know if other spiders that eat fireflies use a similar strategy: Other animals may use different kinds of signals, such as sound or the release of pheromones, to bait their captured prey, he says.

“[The findings] “Spiders prove once again that they are not passive foragers.” Mariella Herberstein “We are discovering more and more cases of highly complex and selective feeding techniques,” say researchers from Australia’s Macquarie University.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Male and female spiders resembling a flower.

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A brown male Thomisus guangxicus Spider (center) in a Hoya pandurata flower with a pale amber female just below it.

Wu Shimao

A species of spider discovered in China may have evolved a male-female pair that looks like a flower, allowing it to blend into the background.

“This may be the world's first case of cooperative imitation,” said Shi-Mao Wu of Yunnan University, who observed it with colleagues. Jiang Yun Gao.

Spiders of the family Tomicidae, also known as crab spiders, are ambush predators that usually live on or near flowers.

They are known for their excellent camouflage abilities that prevent them from being detected by prey or predators. Some species can even change color to match the color of the flower they sit on.

Wu and Gao were in the rainforest of southwestern China's Yunnan province when a male crab spider attacked them. Tomysus guanxicus Something caught Mr. Wu's attention.the spider was sitting on the flower Hoya pandurataa plant that lives on ancient tea trees in the forest.

“The first time I observed a male spider, I didn't see a female spider,” Wu said. Only when I got closer did I notice that the male spider was lying on the female's back. “They tricked my eyes really well,” he says.

Researchers hypothesize that the small, dark-colored males mimic pistils (female organs in the center of flowers), while the females mimic fused petals.

Researchers say that only when individual spiders of both sexes come together will the flowers match in appearance.

but, Gabriele Greco A professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences is not convinced. “It's very difficult to determine the nature of the observed behavior,” he says.

In fact, in many spider species it is common for the male to stand over the female during mating. “A simpler explanation might be simple interactions related to courtship and mating,” Greco says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com