Sky Diving Spiders found in S America

Scientists have discovered a type of nocturnal hunting spider in South America, that is able steer while falling. The spider, from the genus Selenops, is the only arachnid that is able to do this. They manoeuvre by spreading their legs in order to use lift and drag to steer themselves towards the tree when they fall. If they fall upside down, they are able to right themselves in midair.

Parasitized spider makes bed for its natural enemy, wasp larva

An ichneumonid parasitic wasp seizes control of the parasitized spider and exploits its 'resting web' building behavior as seen before moulting, scientists have discovered. Researchers examining the threads’ force, found that the web produced through parasitic manipulation is more robust than the resting web. Given that the wasp induces a behavior inherent in the spider, revealing the molecular mechanism of the web manipulation is likely to contribute to the practical application of spider silk.

Source: Science Daily