The Strange Way Some Male Spiders Avoid Being Eaten By Females

It is well known that female spiders sometimes enjoy consuming their sexual partners after copulation. However, some species of male spiders have evolved interesting methods that help them avoid female aggression. The male golden orb web spiders are in particular danger of being eaten by their female counterparts since the females are not just larger, but they are ten times larger than males. This size difference makes male GOW spiders a quick and easy meal for the females. The males are not completely doomed though since they have been observed literally massaging the female spiders into a docile state.

During copulation the male GOW spider will spread fine silk onto the female’s dorsum. Researchers discovered that it is the male’s touch that disarms the females, whereas past researches assumed that the pheromones from the male’s spider silk is what calmed the females. This behavior is called “mate binding,” and it allows males to repeat copulation without worrying about being eaten afterwards.

Why would it be advantageous for female spiders to eat the males after copulation?