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If you think the spiders at the bottom of your garden are getting bigger, you’re probably right.
A new study shows that golden orb weaving spiders (Nephila plumipes) living in highly urbanised areas grow bigger, fatter, and are better at reproduction, than those in their native habitats.
Scientists from University of Sydney collected 222 spiders from areas in Sydney and measured their size, ratio of size to weight, percentage of lipids and ovary size.
The spiders that the team collected from hard-paved surfaces and man-made structures with less leaf cover were bigger in size.
When the team dissected them in the laboratory, they found larger ovaries and a higher percentage of lipids in their bodies.
The scientists think that warmer temperatures in urban areas, more availability of prey, street lights are some of the likely reasons for the results.
Agencies/Canadajournal
