"Venom is the weapon of choice for most spiders, but some prefer a satisfying "crunch." Philoponella vicina wraps its prey in hundreds of meters of silk to make a crushing shroud, scientists [William Eberhard, STRI, and Gilbert Barrantes and Ju-Lin Weng from Universidad de Costa Rica] report in the recent issue of Naturwissenschaften.

Tension in the silk threads delivers a force a number of times the spider's own weight, enough to break legs and collapse compound eyes. The study is the first to show that wrapping can damage or even kill prey, instead of merely immobilizing it. Lacking poison to finish the job, Philoponella regurgitates digestive fluid into the shroud, creating a self-contained liquid meal." ScienceNow: You may ask for the article in Naturwissenschaften at: calderom@si.edu.