# Another thought experiment: What kind of sound might a REALLY big spider make? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 20, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295 "2009-11-20T16:08:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/1 "2009-11-20T16:08:41Z")
OK, so we’re gonna suspend some of the the laws of physics, that might get in the way. It’s not unusual for horror movies to have giant/mutated critters. So. . . IF. . . it were possible for a spider to be as big as a pig or a cow, and not collapse under its own weight, what kind of sound would it make. I’d have to think its mouthparts would make some kind of clicking chattering sound. Maybe just a lot of drooling sounds as it was about to inject something to turn me into soup. I thought of this while watching a doc recently called “Monster Bug Wars.” As the bugs were battling, there were these cool dubbed-in growling, roaring sounds as they did the close-ups. ---
**Author:** ![pan1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@pan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pan1)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/2 "2009-11-20T18:16:53Z")
The hydraulic systems that move it’s limbs would make a whooshing sound. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/3 "2009-11-20T18:21:25Z")
Actually, they can be _really_ quiet when they want to be: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ODC3Dfva-Q&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ODC3Dfva-Q&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/4 "2009-11-20T18:23:24Z")
I’ll never know because my scream will drown it out. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/5 "2009-11-20T18:25:57Z")
Clicking was my first thought. Think of the Skeksis from _Dark Crystal._ ---
**Author:** ![Umbriel2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/4af34b/32.png) [@Umbriel2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Umbriel2)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/6 "2009-11-20T19:57:23Z")
There are number of different spider species that “hiss”. Since they produce this sound by [“stridulation”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stridulation), the sound made by a really huge one might sound more like rustling leaves, or a [rainstick](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stridulation). [Hissing cockroaches](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hissing_cockroach#Hissing), in contrast, make their sound by expelling air through the breathing holes in their shell. A hypothetical megaspider might have a similar capability, and thus sound more like an air hose. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/7 "2009-11-20T21:00:23Z")
To some degree the answer would depend on the _function_ that the noise would serve. Communicating across long distances? It could create a very low frequency stridulation (via legs or abdominal twitching) that vibrates across its environment and socializes with other megaspiders miles away much like the subsonic vibrations of elephants. Lots of spiders are very good at sensing and using vibration for communication and the range that a megaspider could get would be impressive indeed. Air expelled through holes could be regulated to become musical if here was some courtship function or loudly in order to frighten away an intruder (as if it needed to). That’s the function of the hissing sound in bugs and a megaspider could make a very loud version, but really does it need to hiss defensively? ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/8 "2009-11-20T21:21:46Z")
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! (8 legs) ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/9 "2009-11-20T23:40:09Z")
Apparently [seismic communication](http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1636/S03-22?cookieSet=1&journalCode=arac) is important in extant spiders. Especially for courtship. With a megaspider one could say the earth moved even before they even touched! ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/10 "2009-11-21T02:33:29Z")
I swear I heard a spider whistle once. ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/11 "2009-11-21T02:54:10Z")
I don’t know, but just reading the thread title gave me a serious case of the willies. Thanks 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/12 "2009-11-21T03:27:59Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > I swear I heard a spider whistle once. Musta been cause you were particularly sexy that day, and it was a lonely [widow](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widow_spider). Was it a [wolf](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycosidae)whistle? ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/13 "2009-11-21T03:58:32Z")
According to the movie “[Earth Vs. The Spider](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3398321672170368573#)”, giant arachnids have a sound somewhat like a theremin. ---
**Author:** ![Godinama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e95f7d/32.png) [@Godinama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godinama)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2009, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/14 "2009-11-21T10:52:33Z")
According to a friend of mine and former marine serving in Iraq, camel spiders, I think it was, are known to rub their mandibles together to make an audible grinding noise. Trying to fall asleep at night must’ve been a horrifying experience… ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2009, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/15 "2009-11-21T11:49:34Z")
It’s a loud popping crunch sound. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/16 "2009-11-21T16:10:20Z")
[Here’s](http://discovermagazine.com/2004/feb/stalking-spiders) a bit about the largest currently living spider - the Goliath Birdeater. A 12" leg span. > [@](#): > > “She might be kicking hairs! Can you hear her hissing?” > > A rasping sound comes from the hole. … > > … The goliath makes the loudest sound of any spider—a hiss audible from 10 feet away and designed to scare off predators. Marshall discovered that the noise comes from a scrubbing motion the tarantula makes with the two food-handling arms at the front of its head and the first two pairs of its walking legs. The noise sounds like strips of Velcro being ripped apart and is created in much the same manner—by entangling the microscopic hooks of one set of leg hairs with the filaments of another and pulling them away from each other. … ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/17 "2009-11-21T16:22:15Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > I swear I heard a spider whistle once. Cue Elmer Fudd singing voice and fashion catwalk music. I’m too sexy for this shirt…too sexy for this body…too sexy for this spider…oh yeahhhh ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-thought-experiment-what-kind-of-sound-might-a-really-big-spider-make/518295/18 "2009-11-23T19:48:20Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > Clicking was my first thought. Think of the Skeksis from _Dark Crystal._ [Garthrim](http://www.habidabad.com/garthim.htm), surely?(Link NSFA\*) \*Not Safe For Arthropediphobes