Nutrition
While some predators have to deal with the problem of
searching and capturing their prey, this spider allows the prey
to
come to them. Living its shy and sedentary lifestyle, the spider
will camouflage itself by burying and adhering to sand
particles,
and wait for any prey to wander too close. Once the prey is in
its sights, the spider emerges from the sand and bites the prey
item, immediately injecting deadly venom into it. The insect is
immediately immobilized, and death occurs within seconds. To watch this
happen in real life, click on this amazing video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PuPStWFnHmY.
This video shows the amazing adaptations
this spider has acquired that allows it to fit into the environment
perfectly and feed on prey.
T
he diet of Sicarius hahni usually consists of insects and
scorpions, but the lethality of its venom make it easily capable
of killing bigger prey items. Since the spider spends most of
its life waiting for insects to travel too close, it has adapted
to be able to live without food for a very long time. This is a
common trait for other organisms that live in deserts, where
food and water can be scarce.
Click here to go back to the home page. To learn about the interactions this spider has with the environment click here.