Do Spiders Really Need All Those Legs? | Spider Control Experts

Researchers have recently discovered that up to ten percent of spiders in the wild are missing at least one leg. Have you ever wondered why spiders have so many legs? Well scientists don’t really know why either. However, it is easy to understand why having eight legs can be a great advantage in the harsh world that a tiny animal inhabits. For example, if a spider loses a limb in a rough fight, and manages to survive, then it can continue to live without suffering any handicap. But there may be a limit to how many legs a spider can lose without becoming easier prey.

Scientists found that spiders with only five legs built pretty worthless webs. On the other hand, a spider that loses one or two limbs is still pretty well off. In one experiment researchers placed sixty spiders with the normal amount of eight legs in one box each, and then proceeded to do the same for sixty-three spiders missing one or more legs. The results showed that the spiders missing one or even two legs were just as competent at building webs as the spiders with eight legs.

The spiders missing one or two legs were also just as effective at finding and killing prey as their normal eight legged counterparts. But taking an enjoyment out of pulling a couple of legs off of spiders is still a sick thing to do.

How many spiders have you seen that are missing a leg or two?