Lifeforanorb-weaverspiderisa balancingact.
Cyclosaginnaganeedstoattracttastyinsect
prey,whileevadingwasps,itsmainpredator.
“Itisplayinga delicategame,”saysDrSara
GoodacreoftheUniversityofNottingham’s
SpiderLab.“Doesit prioritisedinner,or
defence?”Thespideraddsa specialkindof
backcombedsilktoitswebtoimitatesplattered
birdpoo,andthis,experimentsshow,attracts
more poo-loving prey, such as flies. It also
incorporatesbitsofleafandtwig,withthesame
effect.Otherexperimentshavetestedwhether
thistechniqueisa defence,byblackening
individualspidersortheirwebs.Theyfound
thatdarkened(andthereforemorevisible)
spiderswereindeedmorelikelytobeattacked,
possiblybecausetheylookedlesslikepoo.
Soisthisspiderusingpoomimicryforprey
attraction,predatordefence,orboth?Thejury’s
out. But you can’t deny that it’s a talented artist.�WEB OF DECEPTION