Why does a spider die when one puts a drop of water on it?

Are you sure it died? I know they curl up when they get wet but I’ve never seen water kill them. They have HUGE spiders at my moms house and I had to kill one while I was housesitting, I sprayed almost an entire can of raid on it then set the can over it to keep it contained while i went to find my shoes, when i came back the spider had moved the can about 6 inches across the tile floor before finally dying. If poison could barely kill that bastard I doubt water would’ve done anything.

they don’t. I have them in my outdoor shower and they are fine.

Spiders can take over an hour to drown because they have a low metabolic rate and low oxygen consumption rate

@cheebdragon that reminds me of a funny story. Years ago I was over my mom’s house and some decently large spider came in when she opened the front door. She didn’t have any bug spray on hand so she grabbed a can of hairspray. She kept spraying the spider to the point of almost using the whole bottle on it, and it did finally die, but that thing was totally white by the time she was finished.

@Forever_Free I don’t think I could use an outside shower because I’m sure spiders would get in it and I couldn’t handle that. Somehow being naked makes me feel extra vulnerable around spiders. I guess one could wear shower shoes but then your toes still stick out. shudders

When I find a spider in a sink or shower (presumably looking for water), I give it a gentle scolding, capture it, and deposit it outside. Any firm card (like an election ad) plus a cup or small bottle will do it. They don’t do well in a strong downpour.

But light splashes, sprinklers, raindrops—they don’t appear to be lethal.

@RedDeerGuy1, why don’t you try it again with another spider? That one might not have been feeling well and not up to representing its whole species.

@Jeruba Sorry I leave spiders alone now. They are on my protected list.

Dragon Flies, Honey bees, spiders, I let them do their things.
I will still smush mosquitoes as they bother me especially at night.

@RedDeerGuy1

Spiders are beneficial little predators, and they’re on my leave-alone list.
The only one in my house who kills spiders is the precious predator in my avatar.

Spiders do drink water. In the wild, most will drink from any available source such as droplets on vegetation or the ground, and from early morning or evening dew that has condensed on their webs. For those kept in captivity, it is a good idea to provide a fresh water source such as a small bottle cap or damp sponge for smaller species, or a small dish for larger species such as tarantulas..

You were likely duped, by the spider.

In the future, if you think something is in need of fresh water, put it in proximity to the creature instead of on it….

The spider may not have been dead just trapped by the surface tension of the water. As soon as the water droplet dried out it would escape. Spiders have lots of fine hairs around their bodies that trap air and protect them from drowning.

Was it the Wicked Witch-Spider of the West?