//www.koonmotors.com/news/plants_animals/spiders/ Spiders, scorpions and ticks in the news. Learn why a spider hanging from a thread does not rotate, how spiders find a mate and how ticks carry Lyme Disease. Read about spider silk and spider webs. en-us Fri, 08 Sep 2023 22:52:21 EDT Fri, 08 Sep 2023 22:52:21 EDT 60 //www.koonmotors.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png//www.koonmotors.com/news/plants_animals/spiders/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230817164019.htm An extremely rare collection of 160-million-year-old sea spider fossils from Southern France are closely related to living species, unlike older fossils of their kind. Thu, 17 Aug 2023 16:40:19 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/08/230817164019.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230728113409.htm A medical therapy that inhibits the growth of cancer cells may one day be effective at treating Lyme disease, according to new research study. Fri, 28 Jul 2023 11:34:09 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230728113409.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230727143937.htm The link between tree diversity and spider populations can help homeowners and other land managers better plan tree plantings to naturally mitigate the effects of climate change. Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:39:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230727143937.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230727143934.htm A new spider species, a blind daddy long-legs, has been discovered in boreholes in Australia's Pilbara region. In addition, a new-to-science daddy long-legs species was found on Réunion island, with its closest relatives in eastern Africa. Both spiders were named after mythical underground creatures. Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:39:34 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230727143934.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230725123037.htm Lower parasitism and predation in urban habitats may contribute to the invasion success of brown widow spiders, according to new research. Tue, 25 Jul 2023 12:30:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230725123037.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230713142102.htm Averting our eyes from things that scare us may be due to a specific cluster of neurons in a visual region of the brain, according to new research. Researchers found that in fruit fly brains, these neurons release a chemical called tachykinin which appears to control the fly's movement to avoid facing a potential threat. Fruit fly brains can offer a useful analogy for larger mammals, so this research may help us better understand our own human reactions to scary situations and phobias. Next, the team want to find out how these neurons fit into the wider circuitry of the brain so they can ultimately map out how fear controls vision. Thu, 13 Jul 2023 14:21:02 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230713142102.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230710113851.htm Researchers drew inspiration from the spider silk spinning process to fabricate strong, stretchable, and electrically conductive soft fibers. Their novel technique overcomes the challenges of conventional methods, which require complex conditions and systems. Such soft and recyclable fibers have a wide range of potential applications, such as a strain-sensing glove for gaming or a smart mask for monitoring breathing status for conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea. Mon, 10 Jul 2023 11:38:51 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230710113851.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230707153844.htm A new study finds that ticks can harbor transmissible amounts of the protein particle that causes Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), implicating the parasites as possible agents in the disease's spread between deer in Wisconsin. Fri, 07 Jul 2023 15:38:44 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230707153844.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230707111643.htm In males of many species, it pays to identify females that are nearing maturity to be the first in line for mating. Now researchers have found a remarkable example: male spider mites guard and then actively strip off the skin of premature females that are soon to molt and mature to make them accessible for mating sooner. Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:16:43 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/07/230707111643.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230630123213.htm Ticks can be attracted across air gaps several times larger than themselves by the static electricity that their hosts naturally accumulate, researchers have discovered. Fri, 30 Jun 2023 12:32:13 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230630123213.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230605181213.htm Researchers show that an evolutionary change in the length of lizards' legs can have a significant impact on vegetation growth and spider populations on small islands in the Bahamas. This is one of the first times, the researchers say, that such dramatic evolution-to-environment effects have been documented in a natural setting. Mon, 05 Jun 2023 18:12:13 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230605181213.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230601160136.htm 最近的一项研究显示了骗子蜱虫(Ixodes scapularis) are actually really good at surviving extreme cold and heat in nature. Previous lab research suggests that even short periods of especially warm or cold conditions should easily kill ticks, but the a new analysis reveals this is only the case for larval ticks in the environment. Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:01:36 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/06/230601160136.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230517122115.htm A species of tiny, colorful jumping spider employs two lines of defense to avoid being eaten: camouflaging with plants and walking like an ant. Researchers report that this combination of camouflage and movement mimicry helps the spiders evade spider-eating spiders but does not deter hungry praying mantises. Wed, 17 May 2023 12:21:15 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230517122115.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230516115513.htm Despite their intimidating appearance, the giant yellow and blue-black spiders spreading across the Southeastern U.S. owe their survival to a surprising trait: They're rather timid. The Joro spider may be the shyest spider ever documented. Tue, 16 May 2023 11:55:13 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230516115513.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230508134954.htm A limited menu of prey may weave a tangled food web by emboldening wolf spiders of multiple species to dine on each other and even cannibalize their own, says a new study. Mon, 08 May 2023 13:49:54 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/05/230508134954.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230420171633.htm Engineers developed a method to create synthetic spider silk at high yields while retaining strength and toughness using mussel foot proteins. Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:16:33 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230420171633.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230420135311.htm Biologists have discovered that underfed jumping spiders lose light-sensitive cells that are key to their vision. Thu, 20 Apr 2023 13:53:11 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230420135311.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230417142450.htm The dreaded tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus infects different types of brain cells in different parts of the brain, depending on whether the affected person's immune system is activated or not. Mon, 17 Apr 2023 14:24:50 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230417142450.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230413153856.htm Scientists report the first high-quality nuclear genome sequence and assembly of the pathogen B. duncani. The team also determined the 3D genome structure of this pathogen that resembles Plasmodium falciparum, the malaria-causing parasite. Thu, 13 Apr 2023 15:38:56 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/04/230413153856.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/03/230330172106.htm As tick season kicks in across the country, scientists have completed research that offers a promising lead in the fight against Lyme disease. Thu, 30 Mar 2023 17:21:06 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/03/230330172106.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/03/230313101113.htm 黑寡妇蜘蛛赢得了一个可怕的称誉ion for their venomous bite. But in parts of the southern United States these spiders have much to fear themselves -- from spider relatives who really don't like their company. In the past couple decades, researchers have noticed black widow spiders being displaced by the brown widow, a fellow species in the same genus. But new research suggests this isn't a simple case of one species winning the competition for food or habitat. Instead, a study shows brown widow spiders have a striking propensity to seek out and kill nearby black widows. Mon, 13 Mar 2023 10:11:13 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/03/230313101113.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/02/230221113007.htm Scientists have published the first record of a noble false widow spider feeding on a pygmy shrew, a species of tiny mammal protected in Ireland. The pygmy shrew -- a protected mammal -- was captured on spider's web on a bedroom window, then paralyzed and hoisted to its doom by the invasive spider. Tue, 21 Feb 2023 11:30:07 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/02/230221113007.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/02/230216172211.htm Groups of spiders could be used as an environmentally-friendly way to protect crops against agricultural pests. That's according to new research which suggests that web-building groups of spiders can eat a devastating pest moth of commercially important crops like tomato and potato worldwide. Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:22:11 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/02/230216172211.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230123123239.htm Protected natural areas of the UK are struggling to halt declines in insects and spiders that have occurred over the past 30 years, according to a new study. Mon, 23 Jan 2023 12:32:39 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230123123239.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230119112815.htm 科学家破译一个全面,continuous genome for a parasite responsible for transmitting Lyme disease and other serious infections to hundreds of thousands of Americans yearly. With their newly described genome for the black-legged tick, or deer tick, the researchers identified thousands of novel genes and new protein functions, including proteins associated with tick immunity, disease transmission and developmental stages. Thu, 19 Jan 2023 11:28:15 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230119112815.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230112155815.htm Research has identified the first inter-species signaling pathway between an arthropod parasite and host, where molecules in the blood of a host animal triggers the immunity and development of a parasite. The study showed that when ticks feed on the blood of mice infected with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease, a protein from the mouse immune system binds to receptors on tick cell surfaces and signals organs to develop more rapidly, producing an immune response long before the bacteria itself can begin to infect the tick. Thu, 12 Jan 2023 15:58:15 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2023/01/230112155815.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/12/221207104213.htm The Alongshan virus was discovered in China only five years ago. Now researchers have found the novel virus for the first time in Swiss ticks. It appears to be at least as widespread as the tickborne encephalitis virus and causes similar symptoms. The team is working on a diagnostic test to assess the epidemiological situation. Wed, 07 Dec 2022 10:42:13 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/12/221207104213.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221130151557.htm Orb-weaving spiders cooperate for more peaceful colonies, a surprising revelation given that most spiders live solitarily. In the colonies that researchers observed, male spiders fought less with one another when there were more female spiders in a colony. But colonies with large numbers of larger and medium-sized female spiders tended to have more aggressive environments. Wed, 30 Nov 2022 15:15:57 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221130151557.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221121215736.htm The complete skeletal remains of a spider monkey -- seen as an exotic curiosity in pre-Hispanic Mexico -- grants researchers new evidence regarding social-political ties between two ancient powerhouses: Teotihuacán and Maya Indigenous rulers. The remains of other animals were also discovered, as well as thousands of Maya-style mural fragments and over 14,000 ceramic sherds from a grand feast. These pieces are more than 1,700 years old. Mon, 21 Nov 2022 21:57:36 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221121215736.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221121130753.htm Tick bites can transmit Lyme disease. But even knowing where these ticks live doesn't necessarily mean you can predict the disease in humans. It's only one part of a broader picture which includes human behavior and the habits of the parasite's carriers. Mon, 21 Nov 2022 13:07:53 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221121130753.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221117102852.htm Tick-borne pathogens, known for causing illnesses such as Lyme disease, are on the rise in Central Canada -- presenting new risks in areas where they were never previously detected. The findings demonstrate the need for more comprehensive testing and tracking to detect the spread and potential risk of tick-borne pathogens to human and wildlife populations throughout Canada. Thu, 17 Nov 2022 10:28:52 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221117102852.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221108160808.htm When it comes to preventing tick bites -- especially in light of the dramatic, decade-long rise in tick-borne diseases -- bug sprays help but are less than optimal. Tue, 08 Nov 2022 16:08:08 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221108160808.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221108082635.htm When it comes to spider love, female widow spiders hold the key to attracting mates, potentially adjusting their web's attractiveness to lure males, according to new research. A study led by Simon Fraser University's resident 'spider man,' PhD candidate Andreas Fischer, reveals new details about how female false widow spiders (Steatoda grossa) communicate using pheromones--and suggests they can build more attractive webs-- to lure mate-seeking males by adjusting the pH level of their pheromone-bearing silk. Tue, 08 Nov 2022 08:26:35 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/11/221108082635.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/10/221024131035.htm Prescribed fire -- a tool increasingly used by forest managers and landowners to combat invasive species, improve wildlife habitat and restore ecosystem health -- also could play a role in reducing the abundance of ticks and the transmission of disease pathogens they carry, according to a team of scientists. Mon, 24 Oct 2022 13:10:35 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/10/221024131035.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/10/221013114759.htm New research has identified how social spiders evolved different ways of hunting in groups. While these spiders have evolved socially similar behaviors -- living in large family groups that share both communal nests and childcare duties -- the findings suggest environmental conditions may have shaped how species developed different strategies of cooperating in hunting. Thu, 13 Oct 2022 11:47:59 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/10/221013114759.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/10/221006111845.htm Spiders hold the market for the strongest silks but are too aggressive and territorial to be farmed. The next best alternative involves incorporating spider DNA into silkworms, an expensive and difficult-to-scale process. Scientists now show how the silk naturally produced by silkworms can be made 70% stronger than spider silks by removing a sticky outer layer and manually spinning the silk. Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:18:45 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/10/221006111845.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220928094611.htm Hitherto, scientists have not fully understood why ticks are such dangerous disease vectors. A research team now shows that tick saliva inhibits the skin's defense function, thereby increasing the risk of diseases such as tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) or Lyme disease. Wed, 28 Sep 2022 09:46:11 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220928094611.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220925185056.htm The Longhorned tick causes the loss of millions of dollars in agricultural revenue to cattle producers worldwide, and it is now in northern Missouri. Originally found in eastern Russia and the Australasian region, this tick was first found in the United States in 2017 in New Jersey. It has since reached the Mid-Atlantic, New England and Midwestern regions of the U.S., and now has been discovered in northern Missouri. Sun, 25 Sep 2022 18:50:56 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220925185056.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220919103221.htm A new five-year study found that deer in suburban environments often bed down and spend the night within 50 meters of residential properties. This study reveals the detailed, hourly movements of white-tailed deer at different times of day throughout different seasons. Mon, 19 Sep 2022 10:32:21 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220919103221.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220915154755.htm By developing predictive models that incorporate climate and landscape variables, researchers have accurately forecasted the prevalence and distribution of Lyme disease bacteria. Such a tool could be a powerful public health asset, the researchers say. Thu, 15 Sep 2022 15:47:55 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/09/220915154755.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/08/220815105610.htm Researchers have discovered that spider silk proteins can be fused to biologically active proteins and be converted into a gel at body temperature. One of the goals is to develop an injectable protein solution that forms a gel inside the body, which could be used in tissue engineering and for drug release, but also make gels that can streamline chemical processes where enzymes are used. Mon, 15 Aug 2022 10:56:10 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/08/220815105610.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/08/220802121737.htm Researchers have harnessed the light-guiding properties of spider silk to develop a sensor that can be used to determine concentrations of fructose, sucrose and glucose sugars based on changes in a solution's refractive index. The new light-based sensor might one day be useful for measuring blood sugar and other biochemical analytes. Tue, 02 Aug 2022 12:17:37 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/08/220802121737.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/07/220725105559.htm Engineers find they can manipulate the legs of dead spiders to serve as grippers. Mon, 25 Jul 2022 10:55:59 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/07/220725105559.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/07/220705090717.htm Scientists have revealed the genetic and molecular structure of key molecules linked to the sometimes life-threatening mammalian-meat allergy brought on by tick bites. Tue, 05 Jul 2022 09:07:17 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/07/220705090717.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/06/220608184429.htm As surveillance for ticks and the disease-causing germs they spread improves, so does Americans' access to knowledge about where the risk of tickborne disease is greatest. Experts have assembled new surveillance data into a report that offers up-to-date county-level maps of both where blacklegged ticks are prevalent and where they've been found infected with any of seven different disease-causing germs, or pathogens. Wed, 08 Jun 2022 18:44:29 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/06/220608184429.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/05/220523135029.htm Newly published research shows that, contrary to what is commonly believed, the venom of snakes and spiders is actually populated with microbes, including bacteria that could cause infection in people who have suffered a bite. Mon, 23 May 2022 13:50:29 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/05/220523135029.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/05/220509132627.htm A tropical spider species uses a 'film' of air to hide underwater from predators for as long as 30 minutes, according to new research. Mon, 09 May 2022 13:26:27 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/05/220509132627.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220425121113.htm After males of the orb-weaving spider Philoponella prominens mate with a female, they quickly launch themselves away, researchers report. Using a mechanism that hadn't been described before, the male spiders use a joint in their first pair of legs to immediately undertake a split-second catapult action, flinging themselves away from their partners at impressive speeds clocked at up to 88 centimeters per second (cm/s). Mon, 25 Apr 2022 12:11:13 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220425121113.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220421131003.htm A new study asks: What are the unique chemical and geological processes at Aix-en-Provence that preserve spiders from the Oligocene Period so exquisitely? Thu, 21 Apr 2022 13:10:03 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220421131003.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220401141345.htm Scientists analyzed the ethanol content of fruit eaten by spider monkeys in Panama, and found that the fruit regularly contained alcohol: between 1% and 2%. The researchers also collected urine samples, most of which contained secondary metabolites of ethanol. The results provide further evidence that our primate ancestors preferentially sought out fermented, alcohol-containing fruit likely for its greater nutritional value, and that humans may have inherited this proclivity for ethanol. Fri, 01 Apr 2022 14:13:45 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/04/220401141345.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220329114714.htm A newly published study of orb-weaving spiders has yielded some extraordinary results: The spiders are using their webs as extended auditory arrays to capture sounds, possibly giving spiders advanced warning of incoming prey or predators. Tue, 29 Mar 2022 11:47:14 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220329114714.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220316120821.htm Heartland virus is circulating in lone star ticks in Georgia, scientists have found, confirming active transmission of the virus within the state. New research includes a genetic analysis of the virus samples, isolated from ticks collected in central Georgia. Wed, 16 Mar 2022 12:08:21 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220316120821.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220314120705.htm 从癌症和细胞p53蛋白保护我们is an interesting target for cancer treatments. The problem is, however, that it breaks down rapidly in the cell. Researchers have now found an unusual way of stabilizing the protein and making it more potent. By adding a spider silk protein to p53, they show that it is possible to create a protein that is more stable and capable of killing cancer cells. Mon, 14 Mar 2022 12:07:05 EDT //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220314120705.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220303144143.htm The Joro spider first arrived stateside around 2013 and has since spread across the state and Southeast. But new research suggests the invasive arachnids could spread through most of the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. Thu, 03 Mar 2022 14:41:43 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220303144143.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220301093657.htm Scientists have published the first record of a Noble False Widow spider feeding on a protected species of Pipistrelle bats in the UK. The new study demonstrates that False Widow spiders continue to impact native species. Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:36:57 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/03/220301093657.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/02/220224091051.htm A study of over a thousand people in Hungary has found for the first time that people who feel more connected to nature are less likely to be affected by snake and spider fears or phobias. Thu, 24 Feb 2022 09:10:51 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/02/220224091051.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/02/220217141347.htm New research discovered a unique class of medications that act as blood thinners by inhibiting an enzyme in the genes of tick saliva. The research focused on novel direct thrombin inhibitors from tick salivary transcriptomes, or messenger RNA molecules expressed by an organism. The result is the development of new anticoagulant medications that can be used to treat patients with a variety of coronary issues, including heart attacks. Thu, 17 Feb 2022 14:13:47 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/02/220217141347.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/02/220215113405.htm Researchers have successfully used CRISPR-Cas9 to edit the genomes of the black-legged tick. To accomplish this feat, they developed an embryo injection protocol that overcame a major barrier in the field. Tue, 15 Feb 2022 11:34:05 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/02/220215113405.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/01/220119090856.htm Scientists have named a newly discovered species of worm that kills tarantulas after American actor Jeff Daniels, a distinction no other actor can claim. Wed, 19 Jan 2022 09:08:56 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/01/220119090856.htm //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/01/220114103016.htm An international team of researchers found that the brightly colored jumping spider Saitis barbipes could not see its own vivid reds. Fri, 14 Jan 2022 10:30:16 EST //www.koonmotors.com/releases/2022/01/220114103016.htm