A small spider traps a big animal and eats it. This is not a movie story, but a real incident. Scientists from the University of Galway in Ireland conducted a study in which the Noble False Widow spider (Steatoda nobilis) preyed on a pygmy shrew.
This spider is not very dangerous for humans, but it is a merchant of death for small animals. In simple words, this spider easily kills large prey with poison and silk web.
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Noble False Widow Spider: Small but Mighty
Noble false widow spider is also called ‘false black widow’. It is about half an inch (1.4 cm) long. It is native to Madeira and the Canary Islands, but has now become an invasive species in the UK, Ireland and many parts of the world.
It hurts humans when bitten. Sometimes bacterial infection may occur, but it is neither aggressive nor fatal. In reality it hunts insects and small creatures.
According to the study, this spider often preys on vertebrates – like lizards, bats and now mice. The authors of the study recorded this scene outside the bedroom window of a house in the city of Chichester in southern England. A spider’s web is visible in the video, in which a small mammal is trapped. Later investigation revealed that it was a pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus).
Pygmy shrew: prey three times larger than the spider
Pygmy shrew is the name of a shrew, but it is much larger than a spider. Its length is about 5 centimeters (2 inches), plus a 4 centimeter tail. In weight it is 10 times heavier than a spider. Generally, big spiders like tarantulas can handle big prey easily, but it is a challenge for small spiders. Still, Noble False Widow did wonders.
The video showed that the shrew was still alive after being trapped in the net, but initially could not do anything except slight movements. Reason? Neurotoxic venom of spider, which instantly paralyzes the muscles. The spider tied the screw with silk and pulled it 25 centimeters up to the ceiling above the window. The victim reached the rooftop within 20 minutes. Then the spider wrapped it in silk, ate it for three days and threw away the rest.
How did the victim get trapped? spider trickery
It is not clear how the shrew got trapped, but it was probably not a coincidence. Scientists say that the spider trapped a shrew climbing a nearby wisteria bush in its web. Then paralyzed with poison and pulled up with silk. According to the study, this is the third time in the last five years that this spider has preyed on a vertebrate.
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This suggests that it is adapted to ‘habitual vertebrate hunting’ – with strong venom, strong silk and a cunning hunting style. Lead author Michel Dugon (zoologist at Galway University) said that this spider is completely adapted to hunting large prey. The poison, the silk and the hunting behavior – everything is perfect.
This is the first time that a spider from the Theridiidae family has preyed on a shrew in Britain or Ireland. No false widow in the world has ever done this.
Why is this discovery important?
This study tells us more about invasive species. The noble false widow is spreading across the UK and could affect wildlife. But the danger to humans is less. Senior author John Dunbar said that this spider is very interesting, we still have a lot to learn. Observation of people helps us understand its impact on the environment. The study has been published in Ecosphere Journal.
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