Case of the missing spider legs... - Ask Extension
I've been watching a pair of banded argiope spiders in my garden this summer. I was away for two days; when I came back, I was surprised to see one h...
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Case of the missing spider legs... #675585
Asked September 24, 2020, 8:28 PM EDT
I've been watching a pair of banded argiope spiders in my garden this summer. I was away for two days; when I came back, I was surprised to see one had 6 legs. Who would do something like this?
(The spider has now relocated its web closer to the ground with some cover over head so my guess is a bird.)
Thanks!
Allison
Dakota County Minnesota
Expert Response
Hello!
Thank you for contacting Ask Extension.
Who indeed! A spider’s life can be hard - they are predators, but also prey. Birds, bats, small mammals, even other spiders prey on spiders. To escape a threat, many orb-weavers will autotomize (self-amputate) a leg, which can later be regenerated through subsequent molts.
