Do Spiders Have A Personality? Scientists Study Romantic Arachnids With 'Charisma'

Every person in this world is unique and shows their love differently, and it turns out the same can probably be said for spiders.

Researchers from the University of Cincinnati are spinning a tale of spider personality, with a focus on romance, and they say it can include “charisma,” of all things. Different types of wolf spiders woo their mates in distinct ways, with some sending out vibrations to their potential partners and others using visual cues like waving their legs at them, the university said in a statement.

Read: Is a Bad Personality Genetic? What Wasp Queens Tell Us

Two studies on wolf spider personalities were presented this month at the Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference. The university said the findings go against a common idea that spider behavior is genetic — instead the spider species, which are genetically similar but behave differently, act based upon their experiences or other factors.

During their research, the scientists found that after picking up on a female’s pheromones to determine whether she is ready to mate, a male of one species of wolf spider “raises his fuzzy appendages over his head while bouncing his body and fangs on the ground to create vibrations,” UC said. “Generally, spiders that make the strongest vibrations have the best breeding success.”

Read: How Insects Fell in Love in Ancient Times

Wolf spiders are named for their “habit of chasing and pouncing upon prey,” according to Encyclopedia Britannica. There are hundreds of species of the small arachnids. Most of the hairy spiders will nest in the ground: “Some conceal the entrance with rubbish; others build a turretlike structure above it.”

When it comes to humans, wolf spiders are harmless, the university says. And even with their own kind they can be pretty aloof — they live and hunt by themselves, but will be more social when it comes to mating.

See also:

So Many Howler Monkeys Are Dead, This Forest Has Fallen Silent

Crabs Are Climbing Trees Now