Spiders
Net-casting spiders have the largest eyes of any spider on Earth. But only two of their eyes are enormous; the other six are small and have diminished vision. To get a better idea of how these spiders use their gigantic eyes, researchers painted temporary coverings over the spiders' eyes, and watched the arachnids catch prey.
As it turns out, these large eyes are crucial in helping the spider to hunt at night (when there is less light) and to catch prey that walks by the arachnid's web.[Read the Full Story on These Big-Eyed Spiders]
Web-ready
Net-casting spiders build A-shaped webs to catch prey.
Subtropical living
These spiders live in subtropical areas, such as Costa Rica, southern Georgia and parts of Florida.
Nighttime hunters
The spider species Deinopis spinosa tends to hunt at night.
Dinnertime
Net-casting spiders eat other arthropods that are smaller than them, including ants, moths, mosquitoes and other spiders.
Palm-tree trap
In Florida, Deinopis spinosa spiders tend to build webs on palm trees. "During the day, they [the spiders] look like sticks, and at night they come out and do all of this cool behavior," said study lead researcher Jay Stafstrom, a doctoral student of biological sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Lost in its eyes
Net-casting spiders have the largest eyes of any spider.
Want a hug?
Net-casting spiders with dental silicone painted over their eyes have more trouble catching prey than able-eyed spiders do, the study found.
An eyeful
The net-casting spider's large eyes also help it hunt at night, during low-vision situations. This likely helps it avoid predators that hunt during the day, such as birds, the researchers said.
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