How can spiders survive the cold?

Some animals can use antifreeze to keep their cells from freezing solid in the winter. But scientists aren’t always sure how they do it. Researchers looked into how leaf-sac curling spiders (Clubiona sp.), which feed on pests found in orchards, stay active during the winter without freezing. “The ability of Clubiona and other winter-active spiders to continue to fend off pests in freezing temperatures is particularly important for perennial agriculture, as they could potentially be used to decrease reliance on insecticides and therefore also combat insecticide resistance,” said study coauthor Peter Davies of Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. They found that the spiders use an antifreeze protein that binds to ice crystals and keeps them from spreading.

Read more at The FEBS Journal.