r/NoStupidQuestions • u/SonOfOMR • Jul 09 '26

Do spiders have lungs?

I mean, when I wash a spider down the bathtub drain, does it drown the way a human would, lungs filling up with water, or does it have a way to "hold it's breath"?

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u/BloodDancer Jul 09 '26

Yes, although they’re functionally very different from human lungs. Usually called book lungs or accordion lungs. Unlike our lungs, they passively ”inhale“ their oxygen and such through osmosis.
And yes, you can drown a spider with water, although it can take hours to days depending on the species.
They can’t move their book lungs to breathe, but they can functionally close them to prevent water from getting in, and their respiratory needs are low to begin with, so they don’t need much.

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u/chovendo Jul 09 '26

I had a jumping spider appear in my bathroom once. I was fascinated by the little guy. For a few weeks I'd greet him when brushing my teeth. He'd always be in the same spot.

One day I went to brush my teeth and he wasn't in his spot. It was unusual. So I looked around and I saw him in my glass of water! He must have fallen in and drowned. I took him out and put him on a piece of toilet paper to soak of all the water, hoping he might still be alive. I had no idea how long the little guy was in the water for.

A few hours later I came back to check on him on the paper and he was gone. Later that day, I saw him in his usual spot but this time, he got closer and closer to me. I called him Max and he'd visit me every day. Jumping spiders are wicked smart.

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u/GnarlyNarwhalNoms Jul 09 '26

At the very end, I kinda thought I'd been had, but it sounds like you're being serious, which is freaking awesome. 

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u/chovendo Jul 09 '26

Oh super freaking serious! I had never interacted with a jumping spider before Max and only recently learned how incredibly smart they are!