News Animals Killer sex, literally By Susan Milius July 8, 2003 at 6:07 pm - More than 2 years ago Share this:Share Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Videotapes of yellow garden spiders show that if a female doesn’t murder her mate, he’ll expire during sex anyway. LOVE HURTS. The male yellow garden spider (right) pays the ultimate price for his first taste of sex. Foellmer “As far as we know, it’s the first time anyone has shown males spontaneously dying during copulation,” says Daphne J.