The Surprising Survival Tactics of Ant-Mimicking Spiders

The survival secret of a brightly colored spider that mimics ants to deter predators is the imperfection of its impressions. The tiny jumping spider Siler collingwoodi lifts its front legs to form mock antennae while swinging its legs and jiggling its abdomen to copy an ant's gait. A new study reveals that S. collingwoodi's impersonation is far from perfect, but its imperfect performance enables the amateur performer to mimic multiple ant species and deter most of its predators.