Health matters
Like us, spiders can suffer from diseases, fungal infections, mite infestations and worms.
Mermethid nematode worms are internal parasites of spiders. They eat the non-vital internal tissues, gradually weakening but not killing the spider. The worm needs to find moist soil or water to complete its life-cycle. When it is ready to leave its dying host, the worm somehow induces the spider to seek water.
This spider has been engulfed by a fungal infection, perhaps obtained from fungal spores ingested with food. Photo: © D Hain.
Worm in a teacup: This worm has lived inside a spider, eating its internal tissues. After emerging from the dead spider host, the worm needs to find moisture to complete its life cycle. Unfortunately, the only moisture available to this worm was in a tea cup. Photo: Carl Bento.
