Page 113 - World of Animals - Deadly Predators
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Wolf spiders 5 EFFECTS
FROM
SPIDER
Abandoning the very thing their kind further information about the spider’s
are famous for, wolf spiders have surroundings and the movement of any
evolved to hunt without spinning silk. potential targets nearby.
These agile hunters live solitary lives and Dull colouration provides the spiders
hunt like mammalian predators, using with camouflage, hiding them against BITES
their unusually sharp eyes and quick the leaves and soil of their habitats.
movement to pounce on passing prey. Some wolf spiders conceal themselves
Most spiders are blind or have very in the darkness of their burrow entrances
poor sight, but a wolf spider’s large and wait for the right moment to jump 1>Swelling
eyes give it vision bettered only by out. Others sit in the open, springing A dose of venom delivered
the eyesight of jumping spiders and onto invertebrates that come close though a spider’s hollow fangs
huntsman spiders. Sensitive hairs enough and even pursuing especially will cause redness and swelling in
all over their legs and bodies offer appealing prey. the skin of large animals like dogs
and humans.
Wolf spiders don’t need
weapons or traps to
catch their prey 2>Flu-like symptoms
More serious symptoms of a spider
bite include vomiting, goosebumps
on the skin, chills, dizziness and
unusually heavy sweating.
3>Skin lesions
Spider venom can cause necrosis,
the death of the cells surrounding
the bite. In humans these wounds
usually heal, although some
leave scars.
4>Liquefaction
Luckily not a symptom
experienced by humans, the
injection of spider venom can
reduce the entire inside of an
invertebrate to mush, ready for
the spider to suck out.
5>Death
For prey animals, and for a few
unlucky people, spider bites can be
fatal. Widow and recluse spiders
are among the few capable of
posing a real threat to humans.
“Some wolf spiders
conceal themselves
in the darkness of their
burrow entrance”
© Thinkstock
© Thinkstock
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