Most people are familiar with the tell-tale signs of a spider infestation: webs in the corners of rooms, crawling insects caught in sticky traps. What many people don’t realize, however, is that these same spiders are doing important work to control the population of harmful pests. So what do spiders eat? In a word: bugs.
Spiders are predators, and their primary food source is other insects. This includes both flying insects, like flies and moths, and crawling insects, like ants and beetles.
While some spiders will also eat small mammals and reptiles, this is generally less common. By controlling the population of harmful pests, spiders play an important role in maintaining the balance of nature.
What do spiders do?
There are many different species of spiders, and each one has its own hunting and eating habits. Some spiders build webs to trap their prey, while others hunt on the ground. Some spiders are even able to shoot a stream of webbing at their prey, ensnaring them in mid-air.
No matter what method they use to hunt, all spiders have one thing in common: they are expert predators. Thanks to their sharp eyesight and quick reflexes, spiders are able to take down prey that is much larger than them.
While most spiders eat insects, there are some that are specialized for hunting other spiders. These so-called “spider-eating spiders” have sharp fangs and powerful venom that is specially designed for taking down their eight-legged prey.
So the next time you see a spider, remember that it is doing important work to keep the insect population in check. Without spiders, we would be overrun by harmful pests!
