Spider which uses spring trap to capture prey discovered in Australia

A new species of spider which weaves a catapult-like silk trap to snare a single type of ant has been discovered in the remote rainforests of northern Australia. Researchers believe the nocturnal predator developed the unique hunting method to make meals of aggressive ants which are notoriously dangerous - and unusual - prey for arachnids. The snare's "exceptionally high power" flings the ant into a bigger web at "15 times the most extreme g-forces experienced by jet pilots", said lead researcher Prof Ajay Narendra. Though it is yet to be formally named, scientists have nicknamed the tiny spider "ballista", after the ancient weapon used to hurl stones in battle. "The snare mechanism seems to have evolved as a highly specialised way of allowing the spider to 'pick off' potentially hazardous prey one at a time and transport them a safe distance away from ant trails and nests," researcher Dr Jonas Wolff said. Ants have chemical defences, including the ability to sting in some species, and can recruit throngs of other ants rapidly as backup to overcome potential predators, Narendra explained. Their team, from Australia's Macquarie University, spent 10 nights in the tropical rainforests of northern Queensland, capturing the spider's behaviour using high-speed and infrared cameras. …