In a swarm of buzzing mosquitoes, every insect probably looks the same to you. You wouldn’t notice that some have swollen abdomens, engorged with red blood, while others are hungry and empty. You wouldn’t differentiate between the antennae of the males (fluffy) and the females (straight). But there is one animal that can spot all of these traits, using eyes that have lower resolution than yours and a nervous system that’s far simpler.

It’s Evarcha culicivora – the vampire spiderEvarcha culicivora – the vampire spider.

Jumping spiders are famously fussy anyway. They sit and wait for just the right victim to come along, spotting them with large eyes and pouncing upon them with well-judged leaps. Some eat other spiders, but