(CNN) — In the paddy fields and around the ponds of central China, a common species of orb-weaving spider builds new webs every evening at sunset, allowing it to entrap fireflies that begin to flash, ...

Sometimes fireflies shouldn’t follow the light. A single flash from a female usually helps male Abscondita terminalis fireflies find her among tall grasses at dusk. Males are showier, giving off ...

Spiders are intriguing creepy crawlies, and now, scientists have discovered that some spiders lure prey in using a terrifyingly smart tactic that may give you nightmares. The researchers made this ...

What happens when an unfortunate bug ends up in a spider’s web? It gets bitten and wrapped in silk, and becomes a meal. But if the web belongs to an orb-weaver and the bug is a male firefly, it seems ...

UNDATED (WKRC) - Bad news everyone: spiders are smart. Scary smart. A recent study found that spiders intentionally capture specific bugs in their webs to attract other creatures, including ...

Fireflies rely on flashing signals to communicate to other fireflies using light-emitting lanterns on their abdomens. In fireflies of the species Abscondita terminalis, males make multi-pulse flashes ...

Once orb-weaver spiders ensnare male fireflies in their webs, they turn the doomed insects into bait, using their telltale flashing to lure in more meals. In a stretch of farmland in Hubei Province, ...

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. In the paddy fields ...

Scientists discovered that certain spiders can force trapped fireflies to mimic the light signals of female insects, allowing them to lure and trap other males. Reading time 3 minutes Some spiders ...

From pretending to be their prey’s prey (or their mate), to attracting prey with dazzling patterns, these tricky spiders don’t rely on their webs alone. Some jumping spiders (from the family ...

Arachnophobia, the irrational fear of spiders, is widespread. Some estimates claim that about 6% of the population are arachnophobes. If you are one, my apologies for this column. But you’ve probably ...