Were you wondering just like I did what smells could tell you that a spider is nearby? I was determined to find the answer to this question and in this article, I’ll share my findings with you and I’ll also give you answers about questions that I had next, and possibly you’ll have next as well so make sure you keep on reading.
What do spiders smell like? There isn’t any scientific research online that confirms that spiders smell like anything. But many pet spider owners say that, for example, Tarantulas smell like vinegar. Also, some people say that spiders smell like fresh shrimp, dirt, or decaying insects.
Why do spiders give off a scent?
Online there can be different situations found when spiders do give off a scent to obtain certain outcomes. These outcomes are to attract possible prey, to find possible mates easier, or as a defense mechanism.
Attract possible prey
Spiders might give off certain scents that attract prey, for example, the bird-dropping spider species hangs at the edge of leaves at night with its forelegs stretched and while it does this it released a scent that mimics the pheromone that gets released by female moths to attract males. The male moth then scents the pheromone that the spider mimics and gets closer and closer until the spider will take it for dinner.
To find possible mates easier
As you’ve just read, moths can find possible female moths faster because of their scents and the same is true when male spiders are searching for female spiders which is a nice ability to have as this world is very large and finding the exact spider species and it being a female as well could be a way harder task if male spiders wouldn’t be able to scent female spiders.
Check out the video below where you’ll see a male Tarantula scent and find a female Tarantula in the wild.
As a defense mechanism
The Daddy Long Legs spider is an example of a spider that can give off a scent as a defense mechanism. If the spider happens to get in trouble with other spider species, stronger insects, or other animals it will then give off a foul-smelling fluid that will immediately repel enemies from getting closer.
If you can’t get enough of learning about spiders then I encourage you to check out the “Spiders Category Page” which consists of various articles that give answers to spider-related questions.
What does it mean when you can smell spiders?
Different people have said online that they can smell differently like vinegar, dirt, fresh shrimp, or decaying insects. So smelling a spider is probably very normal but it can also mean that when you, for example, smell a death-like smell that there might be a dead spider close as well.
In general, you shouldn’t be able to smell smaller spiders though because they’ll give off less scent when they, for example, have died.
From how far can you smell spiders?
There isn’t any defining answer that can be found online but the most far-reaching spider smell would probably be the smell of a dead spider as every animal in this world will start smelling after some time when it has died and these kinds of smells can be very strong.
But when we take a look at the smells that people were able to smell on their pet spiders, for example, then we can say that these are not defining spider smells (so the smells will differ and can be different from person to person and from spider to spider).
Are there pros and cons for the spider if it smells like something?
There aren’t any pros or cons for the spider if it smells like something. If the spider is giving off a scent instead then there are indeed pros like finding a possible mate, repelling possible enemies, or attracting prey. But all of these pros are aspects that the spider does intentionally.
It’s, for example, unintentional when the spider has died and then starts giving off a death smell.
Can spiders smell things themselves?
Spiders can smell things themselves. This is done through special sensory organs/scent-sensitive hairs that are located on their legs and also on their pedipalps. So, they don’t have noses like, for example, many animals do.
It is therefore very possible that spiders can also smell other dead spiders just because they’re able to smell things.
How far can spiders smell something?
I wasn’t able to find the exact distance but it is known that spiders can sense from pretty far as spiders need to scent their potential mates and also want to avoid running into other enemy spiders throughout their lives.
So, as you know by now the smelling ability of spiders is very developed and essential for their survival.
Can spiders smell each other?
Spiders can smell each other. The male spiders can scent female spiders from pretty far away so that the odds of potential reproducing are higher. Also, spiders can scent each other so that they can stay out of each other’s way.
They have developed this ability as finding an insect is an easier prey than running into each other and having, for example, 50/50 odds of dying or surviving a fight.
Can spiders smell humans?
There is evidence to be found online that spiders can indeed smell humans and are potentially even attracted towards human beings because of the simple reason that mosquitoes can scent us as well (because mosquitos want our blood). Check out this article if you want to read more about it.
Now, you can be sure that though that will not come too close as coming too close to you could be dangerous to them.
Can spiders smell fear?
It is unlikely that spiders can scent fear in humans and even if they would be able to smell it then there wouldn’t be much of a benefit for them anyway. The only thing that could maybe be a benefit is that the scared human would stay away from the spider.
But then again if humans are scared of spiders then they might squash them just to get rid of them. So, it wouldn’t matter to the spider if it could smell fear or not.
Can spiders smell dead spiders?
I couldn’t find any defining information that indicated that spiders can smell dead spiders but even if spiders can smell other dead spiders they wouldn’t necessarily want to leave their territory because they could run the risk of losing it.
Besides, there isn’t that much to gain for the spider (apart from taking over a new territory) if it would seek out the dead spider as dead spiders can bring many diseases with them as well.
Related questions
What smells do spiders like?
For the male spiders, it is surely the smell of a female spider that he likes so that he can potentially mate. Smelling the scent of female spiders is one of their ways to find them and if the found female spider is receptive then it’s game on.
Do spiders like the smell of vanilla?
Spiders despise the smell of vanilla so if you want to keep spiders out of your house then putting bowls of vanilla beans close to spots where spiders can potentially enter the house, would be a smart thing to do.
What smells do spiders hate?
Spiders do hate different smells like the smells of lemon, eucalyptus, tea tree, peppermint oil, vanilla, lime, orange, cedarwood, tobacco, grapefruit, or vinegar. In some cases, spiders can even die of certain smells if they are, for example, exposed to too much white vinegar.
Conclusion
Now you know that spiders don’t have a defining smell to them but that there are smells that have been noticed by pet owners and other people like the smell of fresh shrimp, dirt, vinegar, or decaying insects.
