Do spiders eat their own legs?

[CWR03]

I have seen something no one will believe. When I was a kid, I saw what we call a daddy long legs eat one of its legs down to a stump, then "glued" the stump to the underside of the board it was on and ate the other seven legs.

[faz]

I realize this thread is a few years oldbut had to put my 2 penny worth in when a spider catches another insect in its web, they bite the other insect, and inject venom into the other insect. The venom turns the prey animal’s insides into liquid. While the venom is working, the spider wraps the prey in silk. She may drink the liquid then, or tie the little silk bundle to her web once the insides have been dissolved; Spiders do not have teeth and do not chew their victims. Instead, they drink their victims as if they were water.

[bigdave60dog]

Originally Posted by CWR03

I have seen something no one will believe. When I was a kid, I saw what we call a daddy long legs eat one of its legs down to a stump, then "glued" the stump to the underside of the board it was on and ate the other seven legs.

That is amazing. We call Harvestmen "Daddy long Legs" so I guess that you do the same. You will know that all Arthropods (Joint Legged creatures) have external skeletons and need to change their skins in oder to grow.
I was wondering if this is how they go about changing their skin. -; glue their body to a surface before eating their legs. It would make perfect sense. Many lepidoptera glue pupae down to give them a bit of "leverage" when emerging as an Imago. Maybe some Harvestmen do this and to eat their legs would be a lot of protein for the transition into a higher form of life (sound better that "the next size up"
Am I putting two and two together to make five? Does anyone out there have definitive answer?
Dave

[CWR03]

Originally Posted by bigdave60dog

That is amazing. We call Harvestmen "Daddy long Legs" so I guess that you do the same.

Yes, actually I was talking to someone about this as I was posting, and I confirmed afterward that it was a harvestman that I saw.

Originally Posted by faz

I realize this thread is a few years oldbut had to put my 2 penny worth in when a spider catches another insect in its web, they bite the other insect, and inject venom into the other insect.

Not harvestmen; they don't catch or bite live prey, nor do they spin webs.

[bigdave60dog]

Originally Posted by CWR03

Yes, actually I was talking to someone about this as I was posting, and I confirmed afterward that it was a harvestman that I saw.


Not harvestmen; they don't catch or bite live prey, nor do they spin webs.

Only half right. Harvestmen have no spinnerets or venom fangs but quite few species do catch their own prey. Some use an ambush with the long legs as sensors whilst others actively hunt.
It is said that Harvestmen cannot see well. Many have binocular vision from a kind of Turret on the top of the body. It could be argued that this is an unusual adaption for an animal that cannot see.
They do not rely on liquid, external digestion and are capable of consuming food in chunks (tiny chunks) so it is quite possible for a harvestman to eat it`s own legs.
Harvestmen can get around Ok with one leg on one side and two on the other.
I have never kept Harvestmen so cannot say how they go about changing their skins but it is more than likely that they would eat the old skin as is cast off. Eakring Birds has good pictures of the Harvestmen of Nottinghamshire to give you a sart in identifying these fascinating creatures.
Dave