Slurping Up The Goodness

August 12, 2016 7:27 AM

How Spiders Eat. Infinite Spider Blog is a science and nature blog aimed at nature lovers, naturalists, and outdoor educators.
posted by sfenders (10 comments total)

Love this writing – casual, entertaing, engaging, but also doesn't shy away from some good basic science terminology. No surprise that the author has a lot of experience with science education. This bit made me chuckle:

Hunting spiders may spit the enzymes on the prey bolus and then let it work for a bit. Web builders may wrap up their prey and then inject it and let the prey liquefy in its own cocoon sippy cup. Hunting spiders sometimes do this too, they wrap up their prey and carry it off as a prize for their mate, or young, and then drink it down after its had a bit of time to crock-pot in some enzymes.

*resisting temptation to start recipe thread*
posted by Kabanos at 7:37 AM on August 12, 2016 [2 favorites]

"cocoon sippy cup" is such an excellent phrase.
posted by Wordshore at 7:58 AM on August 12, 2016

It's rare that I'm so torn between want-to-read and yeah-nope-noooo-thank-you.
posted by phunniemee at 8:08 AM on August 12, 2016 [4 favorites]

This is so cool. And now I'm gonna go read about spider feet!
posted by rtha at 8:30 AM on August 12, 2016

Meatwad: They're gonna love you MC Pee Pants, just give them a chance.

Frylock: Yeah sure, you're all the things that are in this ad here. You're energetic, hard-working, you love people.

Giant Spider: No, I love the liquid inside people! How many times do I gotta tell you, man? I'm insane! I eat people-juice! No one's going to hire a people-juice-eater!

Frylock: Look, we're here to change all that. Now pull up your diaper. You want to make a good first impression.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:34 AM on August 12, 2016 [3 favorites]

How to eat, spiders.

(Edit: Comma really important)
posted by Nanukthedog at 9:50 AM on August 12, 2016

How to: eat spiders
posted by blue_beetle at 10:29 AM on August 12, 2016

For all the Nope-sayers, i just want to say I am soo gonna gobble this story up! ;)
posted by annsunny at 12:20 PM on August 12, 2016

If you're all about feeding spiders, you can try out Spider Atsume (desktop, not mobile -- sorry!).
posted by maudlin at 5:11 PM on August 12, 2016

A fairly large* spider has taken an empty bin as its home, and I've been feeding it any insects (and one, smaller spider) that I find. I've never actually seen it eat, but I'll come back a bit later and whatever I dropped in is just gone. I'd always pictured it as sucking the goop out and leaving a hollow exoskeleton, but apparently spiders are nose to tail eaters?

*I think it's a "giant house spider", which are big for around here but perhaps generously named. It's still large enough that I heard it walking though.
posted by lucidium at 9:42 AM on August 13, 2016