You thought cheetahs were fast? Meet the slingshot spider. This resident of the Peruvian rainforest nabs a meal in its web like most spiders. But instead of waiting for the food to come to it, this spider takes its web to the food. It weaves a cone-shaped web, anchored in the middle by a single strand of silk. Then, when tasty-looking prey wander near, it releases the anchor. Spider and web fly through the air to make contact. Lunch!
Did you know? Some spiders nurse their young with “milk” just like mammals do! Who knew these amazing creepy-crawlies were such good moms? source
Want to know more? Slingshot spiders can out-accelerate a cheetah. Find out just how fast they are at Science News for Students.
Slingshot spider