Spiders are common inhabitants across diverse ecosystems worldwide. These arachnids play a significant role in their environments, functioning as important predators that help regulate insect populations. Their widespread presence means they are also a consistent food source for many other animals.
Birds That Hunt Spiders
Many bird species actively include spiders in their diets, particularly those that primarily consume insects. Wrens, sparrows, and blackbirds are common examples of birds that routinely eat spiders. Robins, bluebirds, and blue tits also frequently consume spiders. Spiders are a rich source of protein and taurine, an amino acid especially beneficial for the development of young birds. Great tit parents, for instance, may feed their chicks a diet consisting of up to 75% spiders.
Birds employ various strategies to capture these eight-legged meals. They might glean spiders directly from foliage and tree branches, or snatch them from webs. Some birds, like warblers, are agile enough to catch spiders in mid-air. Owls and kestrels also prey on spiders.
Insects and Other Spiders as Predators
The invertebrate world contains numerous predators that target spiders. Spider wasps, belonging to the family Pompilidae, are well-known for their specialized hunting of spiders. These wasps paralyze their arachnid prey with a precise sting, then drag the immobilized spider back to a burrow to lay an egg on it. The wasp larva then consumes the still-living spider. Some spider wasps even snip off the spider’s legs to make transport easier. Other insect predators include robber flies, mantises, and certain beetle species. Centipedes also feed on spiders, along with other soft-bodied invertebrates.
Remarkably, spiders themselves are also predators of other spiders, a phenomenon known as araneophagy. Jumping spiders, such as those in the genus Portia, are intelligent hunters that can mimic the vibrations of trapped prey on a web to lure and then attack other spiders. Wolf spiders are also known to prey on other spider species. Cellar spiders, often found indoors, will invade the webs of other spiders, including larger house spiders and even black widows, by mimicking a struggling insect to draw the host close before attacking. Cannibalism is also observed, with female spiders sometimes consuming male spiders, particularly if the male is smaller or the female is hungry.
Other Animals That Prey on Spiders
Beyond birds and insects, a broad range of other animals incorporate spiders into their diets. Many reptiles, especially lizards, are frequent predators of spiders. Geckos, chameleons, anoles, and skinks readily consume spiders. Studies have indicated that lizards can significantly reduce spider numbers in controlled environments. Smaller snakes and young reptiles also feed on spiders.
Amphibians such as frogs and toads consume spiders they encounter. Fish, including archers, trout, and mosquitofish, will also prey on spiders if they accidentally fall into water. Small mammals like bats and shrews include spiders in their diet. Monkeys also eat spiders, and domestic animals such as cats and hedgehogs may hunt them.