Tom Holland and Zendaya are back on the big screen in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, with Holland as Peter Parker and Zendaya as his ex-girlfriend Michelle “MJ” Jones-Watson. Their hero is famed for super-strength, agility and the ability to stick to walls and buildings, but as Meg Jorsh discovers, some real-life spiders are just as impressive.
Leaping champion
The Portia jumping spider can leap 50 times its own length thanks to a hydraulic system that raises its blood pressure and forces fluid into its legs. Found in rainforests from Australia to Sri Lanka, it also has outstanding mapping skills and exceptionally sharp eyesight.
Underwater architect
The diving bell spider is the only species known to live almost entirely underwater. Instead of gills, it builds a bell-shaped web between plant stems and fills it with air trapped in its body hairs when it surfaces once a day.
Strongest silk in nature
The Darwin’s bark spider produces the toughest biological material ever discovered. Its silk is ten times stronger than Kevlar and twice as durable as steel, enabling it to spin webs up to 25 metres (82 feet) long across rivers in Madagascar.
Colour-changing hunter
The female flower crab spider can change from white to yellow, pale green or pink to match its surroundings. Found in the southern UK, it doesn’t spin webs; instead it lies in wait, camouflaged against flowers and foliage, for unsuspecting prey.
Chemical trickster
The Bolas spider is the catfish of the arachnid world. The female releases a chemical compound that perfectly mimics the sex hormones of a female moth, then snares the amorous males with a sticky silk ball when they come calling.
Dancing showman
The male peacock spider may not have a super power, but it deserves points for style. It performs a disco dance to win over a female – even though she may kill it if displeased, or simply hungry after mating.
Airborne babies
Baby spiders can fly by “ballooning”. They climb to a high point, release strands of silk and are lifted into the air by wind and the Earth’s electrical fields. This lets them spread over a wide area, avoiding competition with siblings.
Walking on water
The fishing spider can walk on water, spreading its weight with moisture-repellent leg hairs to avoid breaking the surface tension. It uses the surface of swamps and ponds like a web, detecting vibrations from insects, tadpoles and small fish.
