# Which spiders eat ants?



## Lucidd (May 22, 2014)

Hi,
I've heard that some spiders specialize in eating ants, does anyone know what types they are?


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## klawfran3 (May 22, 2014)

Lucidd said:


> Hi,
> I've heard that some spiders specialize in eating ants, does anyone know what types they are?


Doesn't the ant mimic spider eat ants? I heard it does but I may be wrong.


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## Lucidd (May 22, 2014)

klawfran3 said:


> Doesn't the ant mimic spider eat ants? I heard it does but I may be wrong.


I don't know, there are many types of ant mimics. I had a few and they ate other insects. I didn't try to feed them ants because I was never sure if all ant mimics eat ants or only some types.


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## Micrathena (May 22, 2014)

I would guess that any spider the right size to would eat an ant, but that's just a guess. I've never tried.


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## Hanska (May 22, 2014)

Once when I was younger I threw _Formica rufa_ on the net of the largest _Araneus diadematus_I've ever seen and she had a feast.

Reactions: Like 1


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## kp513 (May 23, 2014)

As far as I know, many ant mimics and jumpers eat the larvae and pupae. _Zodarion rubidum _is a mimic that eats adult ants. Zodaraiidae in general are a family of behavioral ant mimics that prey on the adults.

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## jecraque (May 23, 2014)

Pretty sure some Latrodectus (and maybe other Theridiids?) will happily take ants. 

Wolf spiders in general won't eat them, in my experience. I'm sure it's a much more dangerous meal for ground-hunting generalists than other insects, and not hardly worth the risk from formic acid and pretty powerful jaws.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Lucidd (May 24, 2014)

Thanks for the info, I have a lot of ants in the house and was wondering if I could find any spiders I'd be able to feed them to. I have definitely noticed more ant mimicking spiders in this area.


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## Mindibun (May 24, 2014)

Daddy long legs and widows/false widows eat them. I have tons of both around my house as well as ant problem. I occasionally find a false widow in one of my enclosures but I leave them there if they are small and on the opposite side of the enclosure bc I get ants going after the Ts water and the widows put an end to them. When they get big enough to be a danger to my T I put them elsewhere.

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Reactions: Like 1


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## aaarg (May 26, 2014)

Apparently crab spiders will eat ants on occasion.  Saw a _Xysticus_ eating an ant tonight, and a few weeks ago I caught a _Tmarus_ hauling away a queen ant that a male was still attempting to mate with.  Good luck, buddy!


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## Nephila Edulis (Mar 9, 2017)

Yes some species of spiders eat ants, depends on the ant and spider. For example- a web builder would happily munch on a small Queen alate such as a pheidole alate that flies straight into the web. However, a myrmecia ant would make a meal out of even quite large wolf spiders and small huntsman spiders


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## Biollantefan54 (Mar 9, 2017)

Oecobius kind of specialize in eating them, I have observed Platnickina and crab spiders eating them as well

Reactions: Informative 1


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