Readers respond to blue tarantulas, multiparticles and white outs
Spiders sing the blues
Tarantulas evolved a blue hue at least eight times, but scientists aren’t yet sure what purpose the coloration serves, Susan Milius wrote in “Tarantula blue is no accident” (SN: 1/9/16, p. 4). In the article, spider researcher Bor-Kai Hsiung wonders if, for example, the blue might scare away predators or attract insects.
More than one reader wanted to know whether tarantulas are diurnal, a clue that might help researchers narrow in on the significance of the coloration. In a paper reporting their findings, Hsiung and his colleagues wrote that tarantulas are “largely nocturnal ambush predators that reside in burrows,” further deepening the puzzle of how color could be helpful, says Milius.