Observing gruesome footage of 1,000 baby spiders consuming their mothers and aunts in a genuinely disturbing, unprecedented instance
In the latest instalment of the BBC's new five-part series, "Parenthood", renowned broadcaster Sir David Attenborough narrates a fascinating account of African social spiders and their extraordinary survival tactics.
The series, which premiered recently, features a clip that showcases the behaviour of more than 1,000 African social spiders (Stegodyphus dumicola). The video, described as both "delightful and horrifying" by Jeff Wilson, the producer and director of the series, captures the spiders attacking and devouring an insect caught in their nest's web.
However, the most intriguing aspect of this behaviour is not the hunt for food, but the cannibalism that follows. African social spider mothers, before or after giving birth, are cannibalized by their offspring in a behaviour known as matriphagy – a form of parental cannibalism where offspring consume the mother to gain nutrients critical for survival.
This behaviour, which is common among some invertebrates, plays a significant role in spider survival and colony fitness. By consuming the mother or elderly relatives, the spiderlings obtain an essential nutritional boost that supports their early growth and development, which can be crucial in the harsh environments where these spiders live. This strategy likely increases juvenile survival in resource-scarce settings, ensuring better chances for the offspring to reach maturity and reproduce.
Interestingly, the mothers of these African social spiders are known to tremble on purpose before their cannibalization, and the young spiders do not hesitate to attack due to the vibrations. The vibrations created by the dying spider mothers may resemble those of insects caught in the web, providing a potential distraction for the young spiders.
The behaviour of the African social spiderlings is a sacrifice to ensure the survival of the next generation. After consuming their mother, the spiderlings turn to their other adult relatives in the colony. When the food source runs out, the spiders turn to their mothers for consumption.
While the specific physiological and ecological details for Stegodyphus dumicola were not indicated in the provided results, matriphagy is generally understood to be an adaptive behaviour promoting offspring survival, particularly in social spider species where cooperative breeding and colony survival depend on maximizing the growth and fitness of the young.
Despite the disturbing nature of this behaviour, it offers a unique insight into the lengths to which some species will go to ensure their survival. The footage of the African social spiderlings' behaviour was never seen on TV before, according to The Guardian, making it a captivating addition to the "Parenthood" series.
- In the realm of health and wellness, humans may take a lesson from African social spiders, as the behavior of matriphagy demonstrates the lengths that organisms will go to ensure their survival and the success of their offspring.
- Mental health therapies and treatments might provide a potential solution for improving juvenile survival in species that exhibit matriphagy, as offspring can face extreme stress during and after consuming their mothers.
- Nutritionists could explore the benefits of compounds found in plant-based sources such as CBD, which have shown promise in promoting growth and Development, as an analog for the nutritional boost gained by African social spiderlings from consuming their mothers.
- The scientific understanding of matriphagy is a step towards a broader exploration of survival tactics in space-and-astronomy, as colonies may need to rely on similar strategies for prolonged survival in resource-scarce environments.
