Which spider puts its mate in a trance?
Mating may be one of the riskiest things a male spider ever does. Females are often larger, potentially aggressive and pack a venomous bite. For the desert grass spider of the southwestern USA, an interesting arms race has developed. The females produce a pheromone that acts as a siren song for males, who have left the safety of their web in pursuit of a mate. Upon meeting, the male begins to dance. His repertoire is known to include 21 different moves, combining abdomen wiggles and leg waves that he uses to advertise himself. Working his way towards the female’s web, he begins to pluck its strands before unleashing his own chemical weapon – a pheromone that induces a motionless trance in the female, allowing him to mate with her safely.