Though small in size, dwarf spiders are complex creatures with a taste for travel. These are among the most common arachnids on Earth, and can often be found by the hundreds, thousands and even millions living closely together. When they eat up all the prey that's available, some of the spiders pack up and "fly" away to new homes-which can end up being thousands of miles away!
Look Up: Some species of dwarf spider have a tall stalk growing from the fronts of their bodies. These stalks look like submarine periscopes, and even act like them because the spiders' eyes are dotted around the stalks.
Invading Force: With more than 4,200 species, these spiders are in one of the largest spider families in the world, second only to jumping spiders. Dwarf spiders often crowd in mass numbers-more than 5 million can live in one 2.5-acre area.
With the Wind[]
One big bug can provide a dwarf spider with food for several days.
When an area becomes too populated with dwarf spiders, the arachnids wipe out much of the prey, so some have to find new homes. Instead of taking a long walk, a migrating dwarf climbs to the top of a plant and attaches a strand of silk to a leaf. When a good breeze comes along, the spider jumps. Anchored by the line of silk, the spider "floats" in the wind, and releases more silk as the wind propels it along. The spider can travel a short distance or even several miles with repeated "flights." Some have even landed on ships and traveled to remote islands to start a new life.
Dwarf Tossing: When two male dwarf spiders meet on the web of a female, the two enter a "battle" over mating rights. They try to push each other off the web, then lock fangs in a measure of strength until one drops away.
Show Me the Money: These creatures are known as "money spiders" in Great Britain. Legends say that if one crawls onto you, the spider intends to spin some new silk clothes for you, and you will soon come into a lot of money.
Fly Trap[]
- Setting up a new home, a dwarf spider spins its web, a loose set of threads on the outside with a solid "sheet" of silk in the middle. The spider hides underneath the sheet.
- A flying insect zooms by and crashes into the loose strands of silk. It struggles to escape, but becomes tangled, 2 alerting the dwarf spider to its presence.
- The spider darts up to the flying insect and bites quickly with its sharp fangs. The spider's venom paralyzes the victim and begins to dissolve its insides.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The knowledge card says Dwarf Spiders. The trading card says Dwarf Spider.
- The spider featured in the card's illustration is possibly a Walckenaeria acuminata, as it falls into the Linyphiidae family and some of them have the eye stalk and body coloration of the illustrated species.
- The dwarf spider is featured in Eat or Be Eaten on Monster Mania 62.