Female hunting spiders do not respond to chemical signals given out by potential mates, preferring silk-wrapped food gifts instead

Unlike many other species, male hunting spiders do not use chemical signals such as sex pheromones to attract a mate. Instead, they make their mark by uniquely exploiting a female hunting spider’s interest in food. Research now shows that male hunting spiders wrap morsels of food in their silk and offer these as gifts to prospective mates.