30th April, 2024
CHIRANJIT MITRA
This notorious spider's name isn't deceiving. Females sometimes eat males after mating.
Not all romance is equal! Male jumping spiders must impress the female with their dance, or risk becoming a snack.
The male scorpionfly offers a 'nuptial gift' to the female - a dead insect! Sometimes, he becomes the meal instead.
Mating can be risky! In some octopus species, the smaller male becomes a meal for the larger female.
Some sea slugs are hermaphrodites, having both male and female sex organs. Mating can involve one 'eating' the other's reproductive parts.
This giant snake is known for its constricting power. Mates are not always immune - females may devour smaller males.
In a reversal of roles, the male sagebrush cricket offers himself as a post-mating meal to the female, providing her with nutrients for her eggs.