Is jumping spider milk real, and can humans use it?
Jumping spider milk is real but it is not a food for people. One species, Toxeus magnus, feeds its young a milk-like fluid with nearly four times the protein of cow's milk, reported in a 2018 study. There is no human product and no evidence of benefits for humans.
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In this article
Is jumping spider milk real?
Yes, for one species. In 2018 researchers reported that the ant-mimicking jumping spider Toxeus magnus feeds its young a milk-like fluid. The mother secretes it from a groove under her abdomen. It is not milk from a mammal, but it works the same way: baby spiders feed on it.
What is in jumping spider milk?
Researchers reported it contains nearly four times the protein of cow’s milk, along with fat and sugar. Spiderlings nursed for almost 40 days, shortly before reaching sexual maturity, and young spiders kept from the milk died within about 10 days of hatching in the experiments. We could not verify other numbers, so we do not give them.
Does it have nutritional benefits for humans?
No. The fluid is made for baby spiders. The amount a spider makes is tiny, there is no way to collect or sell it, and no study tested it as a human food or supplement. Pages claiming omega-3 content, iron, or a creamy taste for people are not backed by any study we found. We also found no official body (FDA, NIH, EFSA) that has evaluated it.
Are jumping spiders dangerous?
Jumping spiders are small and generally harmless to people. They can bite if handled, but rarely do so.
What about other unusual milks?
Milks from other animals (cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, camel) are real dairy products with nutrition data from official databases, such as USDA FoodData Central. If you want an alternative to cow’s milk, compare those or plant milks and check the Nutrition Facts label.
Do not try to collect or taste spider milk. It is a curiosity of biology, not a food.
People also ask
Do spiders make milk?
One jumping spider species, Toxeus magnus, does. Mothers feed their young a milk-like fluid.
Is jumping spider milk nutritious for humans?
There is no evidence. It was studied only as food for baby spiders.
How much protein does jumping spider milk have?
Researchers reported nearly four times the protein of cow's milk. That is for the spiderlings, not a human food.
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