How is Jumping Spider milk different from other types of milk?
Jumping spider milk is not a product you can buy. It is a nutrient fluid that one jumping spider species, Toxeus magnus, makes for its young. Chinese Academy of Sciences researchers report it has nearly four times the protein of cow's milk but less fat and sugar. We found no official source for spider milk sold in stores, including Whole Foods.
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In this article
What is jumping spider milk?
It is a milk-like fluid made by the jumping spider Toxeus magnus, a species from southeastern Asia that looks like an ant. A 2018 study in Science, summarized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, showed that mothers feed their spiderlings this fluid.
How is it different from cow’s milk?
The summary states: “Compared with cow’s milk, spider milk has nearly four times the protein but less fat and sugar.” The spiders are not mammals, so the fluid is not made by mammary glands.
How do the young drink it?
- Days 0 to 20: spiderlings drink droplets left on the nest surface, then suck directly from the mother’s abdomen.
- Days 20 to 40: they can leave the nest to hunt but still drink the milk.
- After day 40: they reach sexual maturity. Only daughters were allowed to stay in the nest.
Does it matter for survival?
Of 187 spiderlings in 19 nests, 76% survived when they had both milk and maternal care. Those separated from the mother at day 20 had a 50% survival rate.
Can you buy or drink spider milk?
No. The article says nothing about humans drinking or buying it, and we found no official source for spider milk on sale at Whole Foods or anywhere else. The amount a spider makes is tiny. The source also gives no lactose figures, so we cannot say anything about lactose.
People also ask
Can you buy spider milk?
We found no official source for spider milk being sold. It is a fluid a spider makes for its young, not a food product.
How is spider milk different from cow's milk?
The Chinese Academy of Sciences summary says it has nearly four times the protein of cow's milk but less fat and sugar.
Which spider makes milk?
The jumping spider Toxeus magnus, from southeastern Asia, in a 2018 study published in Science.
Sources
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