Strange Spider Behavior?

[Trundlecat]

Hi All,

After one heck of a morning I escaped to the patio for a sneaky smoke & noticed some ash had caught in a spiders web. Then entered a lovely spider who scooted down the web, carefully wrapped the bit of ash & took it up under the table. It's definately kept hold of it & not discarded it. So, I went to get my 4 year old son, we collected a few ants & put them in the web for the spider so he could see what spiders do. The spider came out, inspected the ants then went away & the ants are still there over an hour later....? I am absolutely no wildlife expert, just a secret smoker mum trying to show her kids what goes on in the garden hence my apologies for the silly question but how come a spider will take away a bit of fag ash & leave 2 ants?? Is it leaving them to submit & stop thrashing or do we have a spider that's developed strange culrinary tastes (nothing would surprise me in this household lol)?

Thanks in advance for any answers,
TC

EDIT: Video of the spider inspecting one of the ants YouTube - Spider

[Jason Green]

Really?! Maybe the smell has affected his senses, though they go by vibrations. He won't eat the ash - no way - the fact that he has wrapped it up says to me he isn't hungry at the moment. Later on when he is, he'll try the ash and realise it isn't edible, cut it off his web and discard it. He should then find the ants if they're still struggling. If they stop, he won't sense their vibrations and await other insects.

Hope this helps.

[Lance Morgan]

I think spidy's trying to tell you something - stop flickin yer ash on my web

[Trundlecat]

Originally Posted by Lance Morgan

I think spidy's trying to tell you something - stop flickin yer ash on my web

Oi, pack it in, I feel guilty enough lol.

The ants are still there but the little bundle of ash has gone. He must have fancied a snack & discovered it wasn't as tasty a morsel as he thought.

This whole episode has actually kept my normally very boistrous (SP??) little one fascinated all day. I think we need to start an insect project for him of some kind.... I feel another thread coming on.....

Thanks very much for replies guys,
TC

[No.9 Spider]

Very few if any spiders favour ants as part of their diet. Some species (numbering in the hundreds), the 'Ant-mimics', as well as a few others will inhabit areas where there are particular species of ant. The mimics blend in and vary in mimicry from basic to almost exact copies of the ants. The whole object is to afford protection from spider prey species.
But I digress, why the spider would take and actually 'cocoon' cigarette ash I've no idea. I've heard of a 'tarantula' taking a pea (no puns here but I'd assume the spider was probably dehydrated and needed the moisture.
Maybe if you regularly smoke in that spot, it's become addicted thru' passive smoking and took advantage of a 'treat' .

[Geoff F]

Sounds like the spider is just house proud. I bet that if you dropped ash on the sitting room carpet it would get picked up pretty quickly!

[Venger]

Spiders can be quite picky eaters and it depends what type of ant it was. A face full of folic acid could put anyone off!

[Jason Green]

Folic? I always thought it was formic acid...

[Venger]

ah yes...that too

I meant Formic...

[Jason Green]

LOL! I was about to say... I remember my Mum talking about how important that was when she was pregnant with my little sister. I didn't think it was an obnoxious substance!

Nice one !!