Spiders use trapped fireflies as glowing bait to attract more prey
Sheet web spider with fireflies caught in web. Credit: Tunghai University Spider Ecologists have observed a species of nocturnal spider attracting prey to its web using the bioluminescent beacons of already trapped fireflies. This rare example of a predator exploiting its prey’s mating signal for its own gain is documented in the Journal of Animal
Leigha Pingree
August 28, 2025