Silent but scary is how many people might describe a spider, especially if they suffer from arachnophobia – a condition that affects between 3–6 per cent of the global population. But the truth is, not all spiders are silent.
At least 26 spider families have been recorded making sounds. These noises are produced either by stridulation (friction between body parts) or percussion (hitting the environment around them). Spiders that use sound do so for several reasons, including courtship, defence and fighting (between males).
Research has found that in certain species, sounds produced by spiders are even audible to the human ear. These species include the buzzing spider, Anyphaena accentuata, which makes a high-pitched hum by vibrating its abdomen on a leaf. Then there's the drumming wolf spider, Gladicosa gulosa, which creates a kind of drumming on leaves to attract a mate.
What's the loudest spider in the world?
According to research conducted to discover the record-breaking achievements by spiders, the loudest sound produced by a spider is made by the males of the jumping spider or peacock spider, Maratus michaelseni.
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This remarkable spider manages to make a sound that's audible to humans several metres away. During courtship it creates a sound by stridulation on dead leaves. This remarkable noise is made as part of its elaborate courtship display. Male jumping spiders in the Salticidae family dance to impress the female spider.
Top image: Maratus michaelseni. Credit: Joseph Schubert | Thanks to Joseph Schubert for sharing his images
