Scientists discovered that the Australian “ballista spider” uses a silk cone trap to catapult prey into its web, a feat of spider engineering never before observed.

The ballista spider builds sophisticated spring-loaded snares to catapult its prey. Newly discovered, the ballista spider ...

Researchers say their hunting method - which allows them to prey on dangerous ants - is unprecedented.

Flung prey can reach speeds of up to 14.4 feet per second, or a little less than ten miles per hour. An insect will land in the spider's main web about a foot above the spring-loaded trap ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Close-up of weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina), weaver ants or rangrang ants, macro weaver ants in a green foliage© ...

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Weaver ants are arboreal ants distributed in South Asia and Australia, and are known to secrete a venom primarily composed of formic acid and to be extremely ferocious and aggressive. The Australian ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Newly discovered, the ballista spider rests underneath a leaf during the day. Scientists have witnessed the spider build a trap ...

Close-up of weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina), weaver ants or rangrang ants, macro weaver ants in a green foliage© Faisal.k/Shutterstock.com Scientists have discovered a spider species deep in the ...