Spiders and Ticks News

November 18, 2025

Top Headlines

Amazon Scorpion Venom Shows Stunning Power Against Breast Cancer

Nov. 18, 2025 Scientists are turning venom, radioisotopes, engineered proteins, and AI into powerful new tools against cancer. From Amazonian scorpions yielding molecules that kill breast cancer cells as effectively as chemotherapy, to improved fibrin sealants ...

A “Scary” New Spider Species Found Beneath California’s Beaches

Nov. 2, 2025 UC Davis scientists uncovered Aptostichus ramirezae, a new trapdoor spider species living under California’s dunes. Genetic analysis revealed it was distinct from its close relative, Aptostichus simus. The species was named after pioneering ...

It Sounds Creepy, but These Scientific Breakthroughs Could Save Lives

Oct. 30, 2025 From mini-brains to spider-inspired gloves and wolf apple coatings, scientists are turning eerie-sounding experiments into real innovations that could revolutionize health and sustainability. Lab-grown brain organoids may replace animal testing, ...

Hidden Venom Divide in Australia’s Deadliest Snake Raises Urgent Treatment Questions

Aug. 22, 2025 Scientists have uncovered a startling split in the venom of Australia’s Eastern Brown Snake. In the south, bites cause rock-solid blood clots, while in the north, they trigger flimsy clots that ...

These Dogs Are Trained to Sniff Out an Invasive Insect—and They're Shockingly Good at It

July 17, 2025 Dogs trained by everyday pet owners are proving to be surprisingly powerful allies in the fight against the invasive spotted lanternfly. In a groundbreaking study, citizen scientists taught their ...

Florida Cat Sniffs Out Another New Virus—and Scientists Are Listening

July 12, 2025 A cat named Pepper has once again helped scientists discover a new virus—this time a mysterious orthoreovirus found in a shrew. Researchers from the University of Florida, including virologist John Lednicky, identified this strain during unrelated ...

A Cholesterol Secret Inside Ticks May Halt Lyme Disease Spread

July 4, 2025 Scientists have discovered that the bacteria behind Lyme disease and anaplasmosis have a sneaky way of surviving inside ticks—they hijack the tick’s own cell functions to steal cholesterol they need to grow. By tapping into a built-in protein ...

The Pandemic Pet Boom Was Real. the Happiness Boost Wasn’t

July 2, 2025 Locked-down Hungarians who gained or lost pets saw almost no lasting shift in mood or loneliness, and new dog owners actually felt less calm and satisfied over time—hinting that the storied “pet effect” may be more myth than mental-health ...

Why Some Spiders Are More Venomous Than Others

May 23, 2025 A new study has revealed why some spiders possess venom that is far more potent than others. By analyzing the venoms of more than 70 different spider species, the team explored whether factors such as body size, prey type, and hunting method, ...

Ancient DNA Used to Map Evolution of Fever-causing Bacteria

May 22, 2025 Researchers have analyzed ancient DNA from Borrelia recurrentis, a type of bacteria that causes relapsing fever, pinpointing when it evolved to spread through lice rather than ticks, and how it gained and lost genes in the ...

A New Technology for Extending the Shelf Life of Produce

May 21, 2025 Researchers developed a way to extend the shelf life of vegetables by injecting them with melatonin using biodegradable ...

Robotic Dog Mimics Mammals for Superior Mobility on Land and in Water

May 8, 2025 A team of researchers has unveiled a cutting-edge Amphibious Robotic Dog capable of roving across both land and water with remarkable ...

Latest Headlines

updated 11:46am EST

Scientists Stunned as Island Spider Loses Half Its Genome

Nov. 2, 2025 On the Canary Islands, scientists discovered that the spider Dysdera tilosensis has halved its genome size in just a few million years—defying traditional evolutionary theories that predict larger, ...

This Tiny Worm Uses Static Electricity to Hunt Flying Insects

Oct. 15, 2025 A parasitic worm uses static electricity to launch itself onto flying insects, a mechanism uncovered by physicists and biologists at Emory and Berkeley. By generating opposite charges, the worm and ...

This Flower Smells Like Dying Ants, and Flies Can’t Resist It

Sep. 25, 2025 Vincetoxicum nakaianum tricks flies into pollinating it by imitating the smell of ants attacked by spiders. Ko Mochizuki stumbled upon this finding when he noticed flies clustering around the flowers ...

Spiders Turn Fireflies Into Glowing Traps

Aug. 28, 2025 In Taiwan’s forests, researchers discovered a clever hunting trick by the sheet web spider Psechrus clavis. Instead of immediately devouring captured fireflies, the spiders allow them to glow in ...

A 500-Million-Year-Old Fossil Just Rewrote the Spider Origin Story

July 24, 2025 Half a billion years ago, a strange sea-dwelling creature called Mollisonia symmetrica may have paved the way for modern spiders. Using detailed fossil brain analysis, researchers uncovered neural ...

Do Dogs Know Who’s Kind? Scientists Put It to the Test—and Got a Surprise

July 18, 2025 Despite our strong belief in dogs' ability to sense good from bad in people, new research shows they may not actually judge human character, at least ...

How a Lost Gene Gave the Sea Spider Its Bizarre, Leggy Body

July 7, 2025 Scientists have decoded the sea spider’s genome for the first time, revealing how its strangely shaped body—with organs in its legs and barely any abdomen—may be tied to a missing gene. The ...

Once Bitten, Animals Develop Resistance That Shrinks Tick Population

May 3, 2025 Just in time for tick season, new research is shining a light on how animals develop resistance to tick bites, which points toward the possibility of developing more effective vaccines against the ...

Making Magnetic Biomaterials

May 1, 2025 Researchers have developed silk iron microparticles (SIMPs) -- magnetic, biodegradable carriers designed to deliver therapies directly to disease sites like aneurysms or tumors. The particles are ...

Social 'Hippie' Spiders Don't Believe in Labels: Study Challenges Long-Held Assumptions About Animal Personalities

May 1, 2025 Scientists suggest social spiders are more about going with the flow than sticking to a role, after new research challenges the idea of fixed ...

Will the Vegetables of the Future Be Fortified Using Tiny Needles?

Apr. 29, 2025 Researchers have shown they can inexpensively nanomanufacture silk microneedles to precisely fortify crops, monitor plant health, and detect soil ...

The Antibiotic That Takes the Bite out of Lyme

Apr. 23, 2025 Piperacillin, an antibiotic in the same class as penicillin, effectively cured mice of Lyme disease at 100-times less than the effective dose of doxycycline, the current gold standard treatment. At ...

More Ticks Carry Lyme Disease Bacteria in Pheasant-Release Areas

Apr. 21, 2025 Ticks are more likely to carry the bacteria that can cause Lyme disease in areas where pheasants are released, new research ...

To Avoid Parasites, Some Fruit Flies Sacrifice Sleep

Apr. 14, 2025 Some fruit flies sacrifice sleep to avoid parasites like mites. Researchers discovered marked differences in gene expression related to metabolism in the hypervigilant ...

Man's Best Friend May Be Nature's Worst Enemy, Study on Pet Dogs Suggests

Apr. 10, 2025 New research into the overlooked environmental impact of pet dogs has found far-reaching negative effects on wildlife, ecosystems and ...

Park Entrances May Be Hotspots for Infective Dog Roundworm Eggs

Mar. 27, 2025 In an analysis of soil samples from twelve parks in Dublin, Ireland, park entrances were more heavily contaminated with infective roundworm eggs than any other tested park ...

New Discovery in Plant-Pest Warfare Could Lead to Sustainable Farming Solutions

Mar. 17, 2025 Overuse of chemical pesticides has driven resistance in agricultural pests, including the adaptable two-spotted spider mite. Researchers have discovered novel elicitor proteins, Tet3 and Tet4, in ...

Humans Have a Long Way to Go in Understanding a Dog's Emotions

Mar. 10, 2025 New research has revealed that people often do not perceive the true meaning of their pet's emotions and can misread their dog. The reasons for this are many and include a human misunderstanding ...

Stretching Spider Silk Makes It Stronger

Mar. 7, 2025 When they weave their webs, spiders pull their silk threads. New simulations show stretching during spinning causes the protein chains within the fibers to align and the number of hydrogen bonds ...

Scientists Identify Genes That Make Humans and Labradors More Likely to Become Obese

Mar. 6, 2025 Researchers have discovered genes linked to obesity in both Labradors and humans. They say the effects can be over-ridden with a strict diet and exercise ...

Reintroducing Wolves to Scottish Highlands Could Help Address Climate Emergency

Feb. 17, 2025 Reintroducing wolves to the Scottish Highlands could lead to an expansion of native woodland which could take in and store one million tons of CO2 annually, according to a new ...

Regular Access to Therapy Dogs Boosts First-Year Students' Mental Health

Feb. 13, 2025 College students who spent a little bit of free time each week interacting with therapy dogs on campus during their first semester experienced fewer signs of stress and depression than those who did ...

Improved Treatment Timing Reduces Honey Bee Losses to Varroa Mites

Feb. 3, 2025 Honey bee mortality can be significantly reduced by ensuring that treatments for the parasitic Varroa mite occur within specific timeframes, a new study ...

New Fungal Species Named in Honor of Sir David Attenborough Making Zombies of Cave Spiders on the Island of Ireland

Jan. 29, 2025 A recent study investigated the identity of a fungus found on a spider during filming of the BBC Winterwatch series in Northern ...

Blood-Powered Toes Give Salamanders an Arboreal Edge

Jan. 29, 2025 Wandering salamanders are known for gliding high through the canopies of coastal redwood forests, but how the small amphibians stick their landing and take-off with ease remains something of a ...

Landmark Genetic Study: Fresh Shoots of Hope on the Tree of Life

Jan. 29, 2025 In the most comprehensive global analysis of genetic diversity ever undertaken, an international team of scientists has found that the genetic diversity is being lost across the globe but that ...

Protecting the Plains: Conserving Prairie Dogs Will Revitalize North America's Grasslands

Jan. 29, 2025 Researchers have identified priority areas for conserving the black-tailed prairie dog in the United States. Protecting these regions will also benefit North America's Central Grasslands and the ...

A Mite-Y Use of Electricity

Jan. 28, 2025 Mites who hitchhike on the beaks of hummingbirds use a surprising method to help them on their journey: electricity. These hummingbird flower mites feed on nectar and live within specific flowers for ...

Evolution Without Sex: How Mites Have Survived for Millions of Years

Jan. 24, 2025 An international research team has discovered various mechanisms in asexual mites that generate genetic diversity and thus ensure ...

The Secret to Robust and Reversible Underwater Adhesion: The Answer Lies in Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) Domain

Jan. 23, 2025 A research team has uncovered the molecular mechanism behind the remarkable underwater adhesion of hairy mussels. Their findings reveal an oxidation-independent adhesion process driven by ...