There are plenty of videos online that show spiders and insects battling other spiders and insects. These videos fascinate many people who were not aware of the great physical strength possessed by some seemingly defenseless arthropod species. The most significant show of strength among arthropod species can be seen in videos that feature a spider or insect killing an animal of superior size. In some cases, the animals that are defeated and killed are not fellow arthropods; instead, they are reptiles, amphibians and even mammals.
Not long ago, a video posted to Youtube captured the interest of people all over the world, as it showed an Australian huntsman spider fighting and killing a mouse. However, this video may not be so impressive, as experts say that the mouse featured in the video had already been dead. Misleading videos like this, and other videos that employ trickery to fool viewers into believing that spiders and insects can kill large animals, are all too common online. But, experts claim that numerous instances of seemingly unmatched battles between arthropods and larger sized animals have been documented. For example, a 2016 study from Brazil described an event in which a tarantula species, Grammostola quirogai, fought and killed a 15 inch Almaden snake before making a meal out of portions of the snake’s corpse. Another 2016 study from Germany described the first ever incident of dragonfly larvae eating fully grown adult frogs. Rare cases of dragonflies catching birds in midair before consuming them have also been documented. A large dragonfly species from Canada managed to catch a hummingbird while the two animals had been flying near each other. The only other known case of such an instance occurred in 1977. Fierce centipedes belonging to the aggressive Scolopendra family have been found consuming bats on numerous occasions. These centipedes have also been found consuming rats, lizards, frogs and even snakes, and not just any snake, but the extremely toxic Indian venom coral snake. The Polish cave beetle hunts and feeds on newts, and numerous spider species catch bats in their webs. These large prey animals provide spiders, insects and centipedes with a rich and long lasting source of nutrients.
Have you ever found an arthropod consuming a non-arthropod species?
