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Story: Spiders and other arachnids

Eating a spider

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Eating a spider

Although jumping spiders have excellent eyesight, they are often deceived by the camouflage colour and leaf-like rocking behaviour of the praying mantis. This native jumping spider (Trite planiceps) is being dismantled and eaten by a praying mantis, whose mouthparts work like an egg beater, with a vacuum behind them.

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Private collection

by Simon Pollard

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How to cite this page

Simon Pollard, Spiders and other arachnids – What is a spider?, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/12703/eating-a-spider (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Simon Pollard, published 1 March 2009.