Researchers have documented the strange antics of two tropical spider species that build giant, arachnid-shaped decoys out of silk, plant matter and prey remains in their webs.
Tiny tropical spiders in the Philippines and the Peruvian Amazon build giant, arachnid-like decoys in their webs to scare off predators, new research shows.
The outsize fake spiders are made of silk; plant debris; and dead, disembodied prey. Some decoys look rudimentary, but others accurately imitate the shape of a spider, according to a study published Nov. 6 in the journal Ecology and Evolution.
The builders of these decoy spiders are the orb weavers Cyclosa inca and Cyclosa longicauda, which measure just 0.1 inch (2.5 millimeters) long. Their spiderwebs are classic wheel shapes made of silk, but inside them lie important clues about spider survival strategies in a world filled with predators.