It seems obvious that having eight limbs should be a distinct advantage for a puppeteer – and, indeed this spider is a master of its string-pulling art.
If you think that the photograph below resembles a spider sitting in its web, you’re right.
But take a closer look: all is not as it seems. What appears to be a single large arachnid has actually been constructed from fragments of leaves, insects and other debris woven carefully into the web.
It was built by a spider, albeit one much smaller than the dummy, just visible at the point where the pseudo-spider’s head would be. From there, the puppetmaster can pull the strings – quite literally – to bring its creation to life, waggling its legs realistically when danger approaches.
The marionette is believed to deter predators that might be tempted to tuck into its smaller, less intimidating creator. Though until more is known about its behaviour, this is pure guesswork.