It looks like humans aren't the only species that like to spice up their sex life, as a new study by University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers has found that male nursery web spiders, Pisaurina mira, tie up their female counterparts during sex. However, it's not all fun and games, as the spiders conduct this practice in order to minimize the chances of them getting eating during sex, a common practice among female nursery spiders, the Daily Mail reported.
The study created two groups of males: one with its ability to use silk intact, and the other manipulated with an adhesive blocking to prevent this ability, according to R&D. The results showed that males with their silk inhibited were approximately seven times more likely to be eaten during sex compared to their normal counterparts.
"Regardless of relative size, males capable of silk wrapping were less likely to be cannibalized during or following copulation and had more opportunities for sperm transfer," the researchers wrote. "Size dimorphism and male silk wrapping in the nursery web spider P. mira are important for male mating success and survival."
Why do female nursery web spiders eat males during sex? Once a female has been fertilized and has eggs to nourish, the value of the male immediately shifts from a sex partner to "resources for her developing offspring," Live Science reported. In fact, when a female consumes the male post-mating, it leads to more offspring and an increase in their weight and survival rates.
While female nursery web spiders have larger bodies than their male counterparts, males possess longer front legs, giving them the ability to manipulate silk and pull off crafty restraint techniques on their partner during sex. As of now, they are the only known spider species to do this - others play dead or sedate the female in order to avoid death.
The findings were published in the Feb. 24 issue of Biology Letters.
