Some among you doubted. Commenters thought it unlikely that a small spider could capture, kill, and consume a big ol’ cockroach. For you unbelievers, here is a video of a small spider, Steatoda (just like the ones I work with) capturing, killing, and consuming a fully grown cockroach.
Doubt no more! Those little spiders have persevered thanks to the virtues of venom and silk. And cleverness.
Poor roach. That looks like a painful death.
Yes but after a nuclear holocaust the cockroach will likely still be around. Take that, Steatoda
Thats nothing. Here’s an Aussie redback vs one of Australia’s deadliest snakes.
Darn, when we had cockroaches in our place, (thanks to our neighbours ), we could have used a few of those spiders. The ones here were useless.
Oh wow. Amazing and kinda horrifying. Thinking about my contribution to Affinity a while ago, now I really have no doubt how that big spider fell victim to the little one.
Within the last week I was in my garage workshop and looked up to the ceiling fluorescent fixtures, to see a common housefly ensnared in a small web and a very tiny spider, much less than 1/10 the mass of the fly, patiently adding silk and retreating as the fly struggled. 24 hours later, both had disappeared. I’m betting the spider won.
I once got to watch a big black widow battling an enormous bumblebee that had been trapped in its web up under the eaves of the local public pool while the kiddo was taking a swimming lesson. It was an epic battle, but the widow eventually won. I find black and brown widows in the garage, and I end up winning that battle. I’m not sure who the good guy was though. Or is.
At one point, I thought I heard the roach yelling “Help me! Help me!”