Just the mere mention of ticks gives most dogs and people that creepy crawly feeling. But did you also know spiders are afraid of ticks too? No seriously, I saw it with my own eyes! So there we were outside enjoying the beautiful weather, when Mom sounded the tick alarm. “Tick!” Dad, immediately put down his iPad and prepared to swoop in and remove it from Asa or me. “Where?” he yelled. “There!” cried Mom, pointing to a tick walking near the edge of a spider web. Dad, “Oh that’s nothing. Let the spider take care of it.” Mom agreed, and while keeping us at a safe distance away, we all watched as the tick meandered toward certain death. Or so we thought.

We weren’t the only ones watching the tick with anticipation. The spider whose home that the tick brazenly invaded came out of his hiding spot as he approached. Now please keep in mind, this spider was 5 times the size of the tick. Clearly that tick was no match for him. Yet the tick boldly walked along the web getting closer and closer to the spider. In turn, the spider no doubt prepared for a delicious lunch. Then the tick turned around and started heading away.

Well of course the spider was not going to let him escape! With three big jumps, the spider pounced on top of the tick. However, before we had time to cheer our hero for saving us, he immediately jumped off of it. Then to our shock he ran away from the tick fleeing his own home! Even more surprising the tick was in hot pursuit scurrying after it, and stopping at the edge of the web as if to say, “this is my home now!”

The spider anxiously paced at a safe distance away from the web that he had put so much time and effort into making, while the tick casually sized up the place. We all sat there in stunned silence. How could the fiercest predator of insects be afraid of a tick? Spiders have had the starring role in horror books, movies and art for centuries. I’ve even seen big brave men on TV, run in fear from spiders. What just happened here?

Well sadly I cannot tell you how this tale of terror ended for the spider, because next thing we knew the tick was heading towards us! If that spider was no match for the tick, what chance did we have to defend ourselves? Mom quickly ushered us all inside to safety. She also proceeded to brush Asa and me yet again in case while we were distracted by that tick another had ambushed us. Luckily, none were found.

Now being curious about what we witnessed, Dad googled “do spiders eat ticks?” Sure enough the answer is yes. This leaves me with only one obvious conclusion. That everyone, including spiders, get that creepy crawly feeling when confronted by ticks!