Slingshot Spiders Use Sound to Launch Precision Web Attacks

New research reveals how tiny arachnids detect airborne vibrations to time their high-speed web launches at prey.

Slingshot spiders (Theridiosoma gemmosum) use specialized leg hairs to detect sound vibrations from flying insects, enabling precise web launches.
These spiders create cone-shaped webs under tension and release them at speeds of up to one meter per second to capture prey within milliseconds.
Researchers confirmed that spiders respond to wingbeat frequencies of insects, using tuning forks and tethered mosquitoes to simulate prey in experiments.
The study found spiders are significantly more likely to release their webs when prey is directly in front of the web, avoiding costly misfires.
The findings highlight the potential importance of sound in spider hunting behaviors and suggest that other arachnids may also rely on sound for prey detection.