Do insects ever turn the tables on spiders? Have you ever wondered? Is it ever the case that insects consume spiders rather than the reverse?
Numerous wasp species, as well as certain flies, mantisflies, antlions, assassin bugs, tiger beetles, and giant damselflies, are among the insects that eat spiders.
Insects fear spiders; however, some insects that eat spiders will be discussed, and only a few insect species have developed efficient defense mechanisms against them.
Depending on the species, insects may attack spiders as adults or larvae from the air or the ground.
Spiders have a variety of defense strategies at their disposal, including the ability to partially conceal themselves and use their exoskeleton and venom to defend themselves.
Here in our post below are a few of the most frequent insects that eat spiders you may see in the wild.
1. Spider Wasps
Spider Wasps are starting our list of insects that eat spiders. Because they are particularly vulnerable to aerial strikes, spider wasps are quite good at catching their prey.
These wasps are primarily found in Africa, Central, and South America, and they are also one of the main predators of spiders.
Medium- to large-sized spiders are typically attacked by spider wasps. Its poison is potent enough to either kill or paralyze its victim.
They attack by flying down from the skies to assault a spider. After that, it will leap on the unwary spider and sting it with its poison.
Subsequently, the poison will cause the spider to become totally or partially paralyzed; in certain situations, it may even die from the venom.
Since spider wasps are always looking for spiders to hunt, they constitute a staple food source.
2. Robber Flies
Robber flies are also one of the insects that eat spiders, which belong to the family Asilidae, order Diptera. Unlike parasitoid wasps, they kill and swallow their spider prey directly.
Strong flyers, these opportunistic predators typically target airborne insects, although they can also go after ground-based or stationary prey, such as spiders.
With their long, pointed proboscises, robber flies use their legs to seize their victim, injecting them with saliva that paralyzes them.
The saliva also softens the inside tissues of the prey, making it possible for the flies to suck them dry.
Because they are such formidable predators, these insects that eat spiders frequently target other harmful insects like dragonflies and their fly relatives, the deer and horse flies.
Although spiders are a popular prey item for most species of robber flies, they are not frequently targeted by them.
Spiders represent fewer than 1% of the prey that robber flies often choose from, with jumping spiders (family Salticidae) and orb-weaver spiders (family Araneidae) being the most popular options (Dennis et al. 2012).
However, species within the subfamily Leptogastrinae are known to attack spiders rather frequently.
A Promachus bastardii robber fly poised on a twig. Its muscular, dark thorax, black eyes encircled by tan facial bristles, sharp spines on all six legs, and conspicuous white bristles on the final section of its black and grey belly are all features of this animal.
This close-up photo shows the strong, sharp beak that robber flies (family Asilidae) use to stab their food, including spiders.
3. Tarantulas
The tarantula hawk is one type of spider wasp that feeds mostly on tarantulas. It behaves much like the other spider wasps, with the distinction that it mostly targets tarantulas.
It employs cunning and a unique mechanism to hunt tarantulas.
Rather than waiting for the tarantula to approach its burrow, it sets off its web, alerting the tarantula and giving the impression that it has become entangled.
After the spider successfully detects its presence, the tarantula hawk attacks, immobilizing it with its venom.
After paralyzing the spider, the hawk will carry it to its burrow and establish a parasitic relationship in which the hawk will use the paralyzed spider to feed its young.
4. Centipede
As carnivores, centipedes frequently consume spiders and other tiny insects and bugs. Their long claws make them very proficient hunters of other creatures.
Their speed also allows them to be adept at tracking down and, if needed, capturing spiders.
Additionally, these insects that eat spiders paralyze spiders with their venom before devouring them whole.
While centipedes primarily feed on smaller spiders, they may occasionally attack larger ones if they spot a chance.
5. Tick
While some ticks may attack and consume spiders, the contrary is true. Certain spider species also consume ticks.
Since ticks are frequently smaller than spiders, they must develop a parasitic connection with the latter.
It will drain the spider of its blood, and if multiple ticks attack the same spider, the spider may die.
6. Praying Mantises
When it comes to insects that eat spiders that are the same size or larger than them, praying mantises are extremely skilled.
They have been observed feeding primarily on spiders, tiny birds, lizards, and frogs.
They frequently use their patience to catch the animals because they love to consume live creatures.
With the intention of surprising and killing their target, they will lie motionless for several minutes or even hours.
They grasp the animals they trap and kill them with their spiky forelegs.
Because they frequently can’t withstand the pressure, spiders will attempt to flee or retaliate with venom; if they manage to get enough, they may be able to escape.
7. Giant Damselflies
Spiders that weave webs are directly preyed upon by giant damselflies. They are solely found in tropical Central and South America; no species exists north of central Mexico.
They are also known as forest giants and helicopter damselflies. The epithet “giant damselflies” is quite fitting; according to Henderson (2010), Megaloprepus caerulatus is the largest species in the world, with a wingspan of 6.5 inches (16.5 cm). Every damselfly has a strong, swift flight.
The adult giant damselflies fly around until they find a suitable spider suspended in their web.
They fly close enough to avoid becoming tangled in the web’s threads and capture the spider with their forelegs before flying backward and yanking it completely off its web (Hanson 2016).
8. Other Spiders
Lastly, it’s important to note that other spiders also consume other spiders.
Although there have been rare accounts of spiders eating one another, it is also typical for spiders to prey on different species, particularly when larger spiders attack smaller spiders.
For instance, the daddy-long-leg spider may consume black widows, which is advantageous for people trying to manage black widow numbers in their homes.
