Tropical orb-weaving spiders craft giant spider-like puppets in their webs. Scientists say the decoys may deter predators, ...

This spider doesn’t run or hide when danger strikes. Instead, it builds a fake version of itself — and predators fall for it.

Step aside, Van Gogh. Some spiders are out here making self-portraits for survival. New research shows that several orb-weaving species construct giant web-mounted “doppelgängers” convincing enough to ...

Spider webs aren't only functional, they are a work of beauty, with some spiders going that extra step, adding an unexpected ...

Researchers have documented the strange antics of two tropical spider species that build giant, arachnid-shaped decoys out of silk, plant matter and prey remains in their webs. When you purchase ...

We typically think of camouflage in nature in terms of bodily coloration, enabling the species to blend in with the background and evade predators. But previous studies have documented locomotor ...

Lower parasitism and predation in urban habitats may contribute to the invasion success of brown widow spiders, according to new research. Lower parasitism and predation in urban habitats may ...

Spiders are quite intelligent regarding survival, and the example that illustrates this best is that of Cyclosa orb weavers. These spiders weave normal webs, but they also perform an unusual activity ...

Two species of spiders have been observed for the first time weaving larger “decoy” models of themselves to protect themselves from predators. The findings mark the first instance of any creature ...

In this extract from "The Lives of Spiders: A Natural History of the World's Spiders," author Ximena Nelson examines three species of spider with unusual diets — plants, blood and pill bugs. When you ...

Spiders are often treated as simple ambush predators, reacting only to what touches a web or wanders too close. Research over ...