While you may associate spiders with nightmares, they may also be rather attractive. Spiders come in a variety of sizes, colors, and shapes, aside from the creepy crawlies that seem like they belong in a horror film. The peacock spider in particular stands out due to its dazzling colors and mating habits that resemble those of its avian namesake. These peacock spider facts will help you learn more about these beautiful creatures.
1 - When it comes to mating, male peacock spiders must dance for their lives.
Male spiders dance not just for sex but also for their lives. Male peacock spiders must take great care during courtship because the females will readily consume their lovers. The problem is that they only appear to eat poor dancers. What a motivator, eh?
2 - To capture prey, peacock spiders don't weave webs.
These spiders still make silk, but they don't construct regular webs to capture prey. Peacock spiders, on the other hand, prefer to wait until their victim is close enough to pounce. The peacock spider, like other jumping spiders, can jump up to 200 mm, which is a considerable distance.
3 - Only in Australia can you find peacock spiders.
It is unusual to see a peacock spider because they are typically restricted to the southern portion of mainland Australia.
4 - They have excellent hearing abilities.
Despite not having ears or even eardrums, peacock spiders have amazing hearing abilities. They pick up the air vibrations that cause sounds and noises using the microscopic hairs on their legs and bodies. Their hearing is so acute that they can hear sounds coming up to three meters away.
5 - Peacock spiders come in a wide range of species.
Peacock spiders can come in a variety of forms. The pattern or body shape varies depending on the species of spider. There may yet be a tonne of them to be found, as many have only recently been found.
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6 - Their scales alone are a natural miracle.
After researching how the peacock spider's patterns may get so vivid, researchers came across a peculiar phenomenon. The spiders' scales generate nanoscopic lenses composed of naturally occurring carbon nanotubes that are used to display their vibrant lights.
7 - When it comes to their diet of insects, peacock spiders are very varied.
Smaller insects, like grasshoppers and crickets, are a large part of the peacock spider's diet. Additionally, they have a history of attacking other spiders, whether they are of the same species or not.
8 - When a female is prepared to mate, she releases pheromones.
A female Peacock Spider delivers pheromones through spinning threads of silk in place of mating cries. These pheromones, which are carried by the wind, alert males to the presence of the reproductive female. A female peacock spider also exudes a separate set of pheromones after mating that signal to males that she is no longer available.
9 - They resemble rice grains in terms of size.
These spiders are really little. They are only between 2.5 and 5 mm long.
10 - Their colorful abdomens give them their name.
The male spider uses his abdomen to attract females, much the way a peacock uses its tail feathers to do so.