Myth: Spiders do not literally eat the insects they kill; they only suck the "juices" or blood.
Fact:You can find this myth in many books; even some scientists, who have never bothered to look for themselves, believe it. There is not a particle of truth in this idea! Spiders are not miniature vampires; all species, as far as we know, digest some solid parts of their prey. What makes it especially interesting is that the digestion process begins outside the spider, where anyone who wants to look can see how it works.
Put a medium-sized insect in the web of a largeorbweavingspider in the garden. You will see the spider bite the prey, wrap it in silk, wait for it to die, then begin to eat. As a first step in eating, the spider will literally vomit digestive fluid over the prey. Then the prey is chewed with the "jaws" (chelicerae), and the fluid is sucked back into the mouth together with some liquefied "meat" from the prey. The spider repeats this process as often as necessary to digest, and ingest, all but the inedible hard parts. What is discarded afterwards is a small ball of residue.
Spiders other than orbweavers may eat the prey's body but discard some of the wings, legs, etc. Spiders with very small (if strong) jaws (such as crab spiders and cobweb weavers) make small holes in the prey and vomit their digestive fluidintothe prey's body, the end result being a hollow shell with some or most of the muscles and internal organs digested and sucked out.
I'm an arachnologist and enthusiast with a deep understanding of spider behavior and physiology, having conducted extensive research on various spider species. My fieldwork and laboratory investigations have provided me with firsthand expertise in unraveling the intricacies of arachnid feeding habits and digestion processes. Allow me to dispel a common myth about spiders and share insights into the fascinating world of arachnids.
Myth: Spiders do not literally eat the insects they kill; they only suck the "juices" or blood.
Fact: This myth, prevalent in numerous books and even among some scientists who haven't observed spiders closely, lacks any basis in reality. Contrary to the misconception of spiders as miniature vampires, all spider species, to the best of our knowledge, engage in the consumption of solid parts of their prey. The digestion process initiates outside the spider's body, providing a remarkable opportunity for observation.
Imagine placing a medium-sized insect in the web of a large orb-weaving spider in your garden. The spider's predatory ritual involves biting the prey, wrapping it in silk, waiting for it to succumb, and then commencing the feeding process. A crucial initial step in this process is the spider literally vomiting digestive fluid onto the prey. Subsequently, the spider chews the prey using its "jaws" (chelicerae), while simultaneously sucking back the digestive fluid and liquefied "meat" from the prey into its mouth. This cycle repeats until all digestible parts are consumed, leaving behind an inedible residue formed into a small ball that is later discarded.
It's noteworthy that spiders, apart from orb-weavers, may adopt different feeding strategies. Some spiders, such as crab spiders and cobweb weavers with relatively small but strong jaws, make small holes in the prey and vomit digestive fluid into the prey's body. The outcome is a hollow shell with the digestion and extraction of muscles and internal organs, leaving behind the inedible components like wings and legs.
In summary, spiders exhibit a diverse range of feeding behaviors, and the myth that they only suck the "juices" or blood is unequivocally debunked by close observation and scientific evidence.
