Snake Eating Spider !!!

[leect]

:bigeyesls see link of a huge spider caught eating a painted bronzeback (name of snake specie) in one of nature's wonder found in Singapore. Nature holds no boundary when come to survival of the fittest.:

http://home.pacific.net.sg/~naturetrekkers/naturetrekker-wildlife9.html - Spider eating Snake

http://home.pacific.net.sg/~naturetrekkers/naturetrekker-wildlife8.html - Spider eating Beetle

 

[B-setting]

this is awesome.

i wonder how many months would the spider need to suck out the liquefied innards of the snake.

and that must be a very poisonous spider to be able to kill a snake that long.

any ID on that spider?

 

[orionmystery]

Amazing...how big was that spider?

 

[leect]

My reply:

B-Setting - the spider specie belongs to the nephila maculata (fabricius).

Orionmystery - Abt 130 to 150 mm depending (measuring fr tip to tip on both leg stretch out).

The one in the photo taken by me is unusual and is exceptionally large (probably overgrown, deformed or one in a million to be found) as I have never seen one of that size in my over 30 years of wildlife study. Its about 190mm if measure from tip to tip on its both leg stretch. Hence its able to create a solid & strong web to withstand and at the same trap a prey (snake) much larger than the hunter. We do hear spider eat all sort of insects (can be larger than the hunter slightly but still an insect) but have never heard of eating a reptile (snake) which is alot larger and stronger.

By the way, if you notice a small redist-pink coloured spider on the left side of the snake trunk is actual the male trying to help its gigantic female to kill but is helpless as he is too small to do anything and may well end up been crushed by the snake if not careful. The large spider is the typical female which is many times larger than the male. So in a sense, do not play a fool with a female spider if you can.

 

[B-setting]

My reply:

B-Setting - the spider specie belongs to the nephila maculata (fabricius).

Orionmystery - Abt 130 to 150 mm depending (measuring fr tip to tip on both leg stretch out).

The one in the photo taken by me is unusual and is exceptionally large (probably overgrown, deformed or one in a million to be found) as I have never seen one of that size in my over 30 years of wildlife study. Its about 190mm if measure from tip to tip on its both leg stretch. Hence its able to create a solid & strong web to withstand and at the same trap a prey (snake) much larger than the hunter. We do hear spider eat all sort of insects (can be larger than the hunter slightly but still an insect) but have never heard of eating a reptile (snake) which is alot larger and stronger.

By the way, if you notice a small redist-pink coloured spider on the left side of the snake trunk is actual the male trying to help its gigantic female to kill but is helpless as he is too small to do anything and may well end up been crushed by the snake if not careful. The large spider is the typical female which is many times larger than the male. So in a sense, do to play a fool with a female spider if you can.

thnks for the detailed explanation lee.

did you stay on to watch how long the snake took to struggle before the poison of the spider took effect? i am amazed the web could withstand the struggling of the snake.

 

[tchuanye]

Wow! interesting! Thks for sharing!

 

[prakasom]

i doubt the spider killed the snake...

definelty it would have escaped....the pict was taken during struggle.