{"id":60877,"date":"2026-07-12T13:28:03","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T17:28:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/this-spider-lives-in-groups-hunts-together-and-never-turns-cannibal\/12\/07\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-07-12T13:28:03","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T17:28:03","slug":"this-spider-lives-in-groups-hunts-together-and-never-turns-cannibal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/this-spider-lives-in-groups-hunts-together-and-never-turns-cannibal\/12\/07\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"This Spider Lives in Groups, Hunts Together, and Never Turns Cannibal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\" data-body-type=\"bodyblocks\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The post <a data-ylk=\"slk:This Spider Lives in Groups, Hunts Together, and Never Turns Cannibal;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com\/articles\/this-spider-lives-in-groups-hunts-together-and-never-turns-cannibal\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">This Spider Lives in Groups, Hunts Together, and Never Turns Cannibal<\/a> appeared first on <a data-ylk=\"slk:A-Z Animals;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_source=rss_feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_content=1592552\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">A-Z Animals<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a data-ylk=\"slk:Spiders;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com\/animals\/spider\/?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_source=rss_feed&amp;utm_medium=in_content&amp;utm_content=1592552\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Spiders<\/a> are often known as being aggressive, solitary, and even cannibalistic \u2014 hardly the kind of animals you would expect to live together peacefully. But one extraordinary species from Madagascar turns that stereotype on its head.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Officially described in <a data-ylk=\"slk:2006;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/228585699_Web-sharing_Sociality_and_Cooperative_Prey_Capture_in_a_Malagasy_Spitting_Spider_Araneae_Scytodidae\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">2006<\/a>, <em>Scytodes socialis<\/em> lives in the dry deciduous forests of Madagascar and does something almost unheard of for spiders. Instead of living alone, these spitting spiders build permanent communal web complexes. Multiple adults and juveniles live in the same shared space without showing aggression toward one another. Even more surprising, they hunt together and peacefully share the meal afterward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The species&#8217; name, <em>socialis<\/em>, reflects exactly what makes these creatures so unusual. While almost every type of spitting spider lives alone, this species evolved a socially cooperative lifestyle that sets it apart from its relatives.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">A Peaceful Colony Under One Web<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div style=\"max-height:none;overflow:visible\">\n<p>Madagascar&#8217;s social spitting spiders live in colonies with two to 30 other individuals. <\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">\u00a9Yathin S Krishnappa \/ CC BY-SA 3.0 \/ Wikimedia Commons \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:2007-social-spider-1.jpg\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Original<\/a> \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">License<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Unlike most spitting spiders, which typically live alone and do not build traditional prey-catching webs, <em>Scytodes socialis<\/em> creates complex, interconnected webs that serve as permanent homes for entire colonies. These shared webs can house anywhere from two to thirty spiders spanning multiple generations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Adults and juveniles live side by side in these shared webs with an unusual level of tolerance. Instead of showing the aggression and cannibalism common in other <em>Scytodes <\/em>species, these colony members coexist peacefully, creating one of the most socially cooperative lifestyles known among spiders.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Teamwork Makes the Meal<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Like its relatives, <em>Scytodes socialis <\/em>captures prey by spitting a sticky, venomous silk from its fangs. This adhesive hardens quickly on contact, pinning the prey in place before the spider moves in to bite. However, what happens next truly sets this species apart from the next.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Spitting spider on a white background. Genus Scytodes.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"719\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/ed5646d9c00f3d0c12346810a08a02821f3413c7e8b431174d76dcbfd75b2000\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w960;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fa_z_animals_articles_598%2F01153b4c6849a34d8f2abd0f5fbe18f5\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div style=\"max-height:none;overflow:visible\">\n<p>Spitting spiders typically have long legs and pale tan or yellowish bodies. <\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">\u00a9Macronatura.es\/Shutterstock.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Instead of hunting alone, multiple colony members often work together to subdue large prey. Several spiders may simultaneously spit on, bite, and immobilize the same insect. This cooperation allows the colony to overpower prey much larger than any single spider could handle alone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Once the hunt is over, the cooperation continues. Rather than fighting over the prize, the spiders gather around the captured prey and voluntarily share the meal, feeding peacefully alongside one another.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Rethinking Spider Social Behavior<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">True sociality is exceptionally rare among spiders, occurring in only about 0.1 to 0.24 percent of described species. Most social spiders evolved from species that practice extended maternal care, where family groups stay together only temporarily before scattering.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Spitting spider on a white background. Genus Scytodes.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"719\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/3fd0fc8e5fafd22fd20fe7bb2b9d0005741f41e896be56fee851d1dee4075688\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w960;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fa_z_animals_articles_598%2F2a008442aaa3494708687904f664540f\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div style=\"max-height:none;overflow:visible\">\n<p>Spitting spiders can pin down prey from a distance thanks to their ejectable venom. <\/p>\n<p class=\"copyright\">\u00a9Macronatura.es\/Shutterstock.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Although extended maternal care has been observed in a few other spitting spiders, such as <em>Scytodes fusca<\/em>, <em>Scytodes socialis<\/em> takes this behavior a major step further. Its permanent colonies, <a data-ylk=\"slk:cooperative hunting;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com\/blog\/discover-animals-that-hunt-cooperatively\/?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_source=rss_feed&amp;utm_medium=in_content&amp;utm_content=1592552\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">cooperative hunting<\/a>, and peaceful food sharing provide researchers with a rare opportunity to study how complex social behavior evolves from simpler ancestral lifestyles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">For an animal group known for going it alone, <em>Scytodes socialis<\/em> offers a striking reminder that even spiders can thrive through cooperation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The post <a data-ylk=\"slk:This Spider Lives in Groups, Hunts Together, and Never Turns Cannibal;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com\/articles\/this-spider-lives-in-groups-hunts-together-and-never-turns-cannibal\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">This Spider Lives in Groups, Hunts Together, and Never Turns Cannibal<\/a> appeared first on <a data-ylk=\"slk:A-Z Animals;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_source=rss_feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_content=1592552\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">A-Z Animals<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/lifestyle\/articles\/spider-lives-groups-hunts-together-161718463.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The post This Spider Lives in Groups, Hunts Together, and Never Turns Cannibal appeared first on A-Z Animals. Spiders are often known<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/this-spider-lives-in-groups-hunts-together-and-never-turns-cannibal\/12\/07\/2026\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":60878,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/c982541f1d56286b077eb3ffbdb0900d5ac8f4f4e2b95a778fa71a815aa55ed1\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w1200;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fa_z_animals_articles_598%2Fde66c5561613039f9862859f71b18626","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60877"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60877"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60877\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60878"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60877"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}