Male nursery web spiders, such as Pisaura mirabilis, often court females by offering a prey item wrapped in silk. Research describes this nuptial gift as a mating effort: males achieve much higher mating success when they offer a gift than when they do not. Silk wrapping also helps the male keep control of the package. Studies report that females are less likely to successfully steal a wrapped gift than an unwrapped one. The wrapping can also disguise what’s inside. Scientists have documented “worthless” gifts in this species—packages that may contain empty insect exoskeletons or plant material with no nutritional value—allowing males to initiate mating even when the female cannot assess the gift’s quality immediately. Source: Weird Facts #fblife #fbrepost