Is it true that spiders have a "sixth sense?"

looney_tunes

Spiderman has a sixth sense, "a subconscious precognitive sense of danger, which he called a 'spider-sense.'" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man%27s_powers_and_equipment Spiders have eyes for sight; the hairs on their body have separate receptors for vibrations, air currents, humidity and food. This is the equivalent of the senses we refer to as touch, taste, smelling and hearing, although without organs dedicated to the separate functions. http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/education/insects_spiders/spiders/senses.asp http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/under_spell_spiders/spiderspecifics.html No references to anything like Spidey's spider-sense, though. Dec 01 09, 12:04 AM

star_gazer

Q. Do spiders have a sixth sense or spider sense which they sense danger or someone is approaching? A. No, I don't think so, not really, probably they feel vibrations in their webs or on the ground that alerts them to something approaching. The belief that wild and domestic animals and spiders, possess a sixth sense—and know in advance when the earth is going to shake—has been around for centuries. Wildlife experts believe animals' more acute hearing and other senses might enable them to hear or feel the Earth's vibration, tipping them off to approaching disaster long before humans realize what's going on. Before giant waves slammed into Sri Lanka and India coastlines not long agao, wild and domestic animals seemed to know what was about to happen and fled to safety. According to eyewitness accounts, the following events happened: • Elephants screamed and ran for higher ground. • Dogs refused to go outdoors. • Flamingos abandoned their low-lying breeding areas. • Zoo animals rushed into their shelters and could not be enticed to come back out. http://www.spiderzrule.com/answers.htm Dec 01 09, 5:42 AM