Not everything is web-based

One of the truisms from my childhood is that spiders build webs with which to catch their food. The webs are circular, two-dimensional,  vertical and strung up between pieces of vegetation. This of course is correct however things aren’t nearly as clear cut. Not all spiders catch food using webs.

Jumping Spiders such as the Prowling Jumper (Opisthoncus grassator), pictured above left, capture their prey by leaping on it. They use their excellent eyesight to not only detect prey but also to calculate how far they need to jump. They use hydraulic pressure in the legs to propel themselves forward and just in case they miss Jumping Spiders are attached from their start point by a filament of silk.

Lynx Spiders, picture above right, on the other hand catch their prey by running it down. The front legs are bristly so as to confine any prey that is captured and prevent the thrashing victim from damaging the spider’s eyes.

Another strategy albeit a lazy one is to hide in flowers and simply ambush the prey as it comes in the feed (pictured above left).

I wonder if spider fast food is defined by how quickly you have to move to get it.