Predation on a pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus, by the noble false widow spider, Steatoda nobilis

Abstract

The noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis is a globally invasive species with implications for public health and possibly for native ecosystems. Here, we report on a case of predation on a protected species of vertebrate, a pygmy shrew Sorex minutus in Britain. The importance and novelty of this report are: (1) this is the third documented case of S. nobilis preying on a vertebrate in five years, suggesting that small vertebrates are likely to be a more frequent component of their diet than previously thought; (2) this is the first case of a Theridiidae spider preying on a shrew in Britain; and (3) this is the first case of predation on shrews by the genus Steatoda globally. Overall, S. nobilis fits the profile of a habitual vertebrate-eating spider.

Caught in the web: Exploring spider predation on bats in Europe

“…They compensate for their size by using potent venom that can paralyse and kill small vertebrates and construct extremely sticky and strong webs (Nyffeler & Gibbons, 2022). The false noble widow spider preys on European small mammals, including pygmy shrews (Dugon et al., 2023) and a disputed case of predation on bats (Dool & Uhl, 2022; Dunbar et al., 2022). We contribute a record of capture of an adult bat in the web of a false noble widow, but further research is needed to document these interactions and establish whether these spiders consume the bats they capture in their webs.…”