Anyone who looks at an ogre-faced spider would be dazzled by its huge eyes that allow it to see 2,000 times better than humans do at night. Wait, the best part is yet to come. These arachnids have the incredible ability to hear a diverse range of sounds using their legs.
Spiders don’t have ears, in the conventional sense. Though most of them can feel the vibrations of prey when they get caught in their webs, it’s not considered hearing. Now, new evidence has shown that ogre-faced spiders have nerve-based receptors on their legs, which function like ears. Jumping spiders and fishing spiders are other two spider species that can hear with their legs. But what’s so impressive about ogre-faced spiders is how well they can hear. Ogre-faced spiders are unique in the sense that they can detect both the low-frequency sounds (say 150 hz) and high-frequency sounds (10 khz) even from six feet away.
Scientists at the Cornell University have document that ogre-faced spiders, do not always rely on their excellent eyesight to catch their prey. They use metatarsal sensitivity (sensors at the tip of the leg) to detect sound cues of even those insects flying behind them with precision. They have recorded that within a split-second, these long-legged spiders make a ninja-like backflip to cast a net on a airborne insect.
Did you know?
Ogre-faced spiders are net-casing nocturnal spiders, found mostly in the southeastern United States. They have a unique way of catching their prey. They make a small web in the form of a net held by the front legs that can be stretched out wide. They cast this net on unwary insects passing by then dine on them.
Picture Credit : Google
