Black and white spiders in the house: how do they reproduce and what do they eat? How spiders reproduce - the female spider kills the male. What kind of reproduction is typical for spiders.

02.05.2020

Spider breeding

Today, more and more often, our compatriots have exotic pets in their homes and, moreover, decide not only to simply care for them, but also to breed them. But, as you yourself understand, if the specifics of its content are one thing (not a very complicated science that requires, first of all, desire and skills from you), then breeding spiders is a completely different, more complex and responsible activity . If you are not afraid of difficulties, and have set yourself the goal of breeding spiders (a fairly profitable occupation, by the way), you have the strength and desire, time and opportunity, then our publication will help you, which we decided to devote to questions breeding spiders at home. So, please be patient and attentive - today you will learn a lot of useful and interesting information, and how you learn it will determine whether you can breed spiders in your terrarium or not...

Physiology of house spiders

In fact, the physiology and biology of reproduction of house spiders are topics that have been little studied. There are general data based on which we can draw some conclusions. So, for example, young spiders, regardless of their gender, lead a similar lifestyle, and it is almost impossible to distinguish them by behavior. True, it serves as a hint to the owner of spiders and an answer to the question - where is the female spider and where is the male? appearance such an exotic pet. So,

sexually mature males, as a rule, always have bright colors, proportional and elongated legs, a special structure of the pedipalps, and are distinguished by great mobility.

By the way, they reach puberty earlier than females, who look somewhat gray compared to such bright “men,” behave awkwardly, and are characterized by inactivity. For male spiders this is 1.5 years, for females this period of puberty occurs when she is 2-3 years old.

Such a time gap in matters of puberty excludes the possibility of inbreeding.

Features of the behavior of male spiders

Before mating begins, a mature male spider begins to weave a special web, which has a 3- or 4-corner shape. It secretes a drop of inseminating liquid onto the underside of such a web. After such a “network” is ready in every sense of the word, the male proceeds to search for a female. His behavior becomes overly active, he moves around the terrarium day and night...

In nature, during this period, male spiders can even cover a distance of 9 kilometers during the night in order to find a female.

The spider searches for the “lady of the heart” in a very interesting way - using exclusively the senses of touch. He follows the female's trail and almost always finds her. But, it is quite clear that when living in a terrarium, whether he finds a female to mate with or not will depend on you, as the owner of the spider.

Spiders mating

If you seriously decide to start breeding spiders, then take care in advance of a neutral territory for mating of these creatures and a female spider. And, after you notice that your spider has begun to weave a ritual web, start trying to cross spiders. To do this, first place the female and then the male spider in a neutral terrarium.

If the female spider has other plans and “children” are not included in them, most likely she will attack the male spider. In this case, it is recommended to immediately remove the male from the terrarium. Since the struggle between spiders for territory - the female now perceives the male as a potential invader of her square centimeters, can end in the death of one of the spiders or self-harm and severed limbs. By the way, many people mistakenly think that the female eats the male spider. So, it doesn't always happen this way. If the male spider is strong enough, he can cope with the female and then, instead of thinking about where to place the little spiderlings, you will think about where to get another female, instead of the one that died in the paws of the male spider.

If the female spider is ready to mate, she will initially simply ignore the male. His task will be to attract her attention with a ritual dance, and lure the female out of the shelter, where she could hide at the sight of a stranger spider. After this, the male begins to carefully approach the female, who will behave quite calmly. Although, there are known cases when the female herself attracted the male spider by drumming her paws on the substrate. After such an “invitation,” the spider begins the mating process, which lasts several seconds. At the end of them, he quickly runs away to the other end of the terrarium, since the spider can change her mood and attack him. It is recommended to remove the male immediately after mating in order to avoid unpleasant incidents.

At one time, a male is able to fertilize several females. Likewise, a female can mate with several males in one season.

Features of the behavior of a female spider

The structure of a female spider

Depending on many factors - season, temperature in the terrarium, humidity, availability of food, etc., fertilization of eggs in the uterus can occur 1-8 months after mating.

The female lays eggs and weaves them into a cocoon. The cocoon itself consists of 2 parts, fastened at the edges. It is noteworthy that to protect themselves from enemies, some types of spiders weave their protective hairs into the walls of the cocoon.

The female spider is very careful about her egg laying and watches the cocoon, turns it over and can move with it inside the terrarium. In fact, there is a completely logical explanation for this behavior - depending on humidity and temperature, the female looks for optimally comfortable conditions for her spiderlings.

If you want your idea to be successful and small spiders to be born, try not to irritate the female during this period and protect her from stress. Since there are often cases when, as a result of a nervous shock, a spider ate its cocoon.

By the way, some spider breeders practice... taking on maternal functions and, after the female lays her clutch and weaves a web around it, they take the cocoon from the terrarium and place it in a special container, turn such a cocoon over several times a day and monitor the humidity and temperature . I would like to immediately warn you that such an “incubator” is a very difficult task, therefore, we do not undertake to guarantee you that you will cope with maternal responsibilities better than the spider herself.

There are also cases when a female spider laid several cocoons after mating at intervals of several weeks.

As for the number of eggs in such clutches, it is 30-60 eggs, but the female spider Lasiodora parahubana can lay 2500 eggs at a time!

The incubation period of eggs also depends on the type of pack itself, but on average ranges from several weeks to 4 months. Moreover, the eggs of arboreal spider species “mature” faster than those of terrestrial spider species.

The appearance of small spiders

Cocoon with spiders

When small spiders are born, their size is 3-5 millimeters, and their leg span is 1.5 centimeters. Newborn spiders of arboreal species are larger than terrestrial ones, and their number is smaller. They are distinguished by great mobility and timidity. The slightest danger, rustle, or movement serves as a signal for them to burrow deeper into the substrate of the terrarium.

The process of the birth of spiders is very interesting. In embryos, on the eve of this event, egg teeth are formed at the base of the pedipalps, with the help of which they tear the egg shell from the inside. But now they are very weak, their appendages are not dismembered, their integuments are thin, and they feed on the yolk sac that remains in the intestines. After the first molt, claws appear on the spider's legs inside the egg and chelicerae develop. It's time for him to be born. He experiences the next moult post-embryonic, and now he is an active baby, capable of feeding on his own. By the way, after its birth, it is better to remove it from the mother’s terrarium, since now the spider will perceive her little spiderlings not as her children, but as food. What can you do, such laws of Nature...

The reproduction biology of spiders, in terms of the complexity and originality of the observed phenomena, surpasses everything that is characteristic of other arachnids, and this is again due to the use of the web. Sexually mature male spiders are usually very different from females in their lifestyle and appearance, although in some cases males and females are similar. Usually the male is smaller than the female, with relatively more long legs, and sometimes males are dwarf, 1000-1500 times smaller in volume than females. In addition to size, sexual dimorphism is often manifested in certain secondary sexual characteristics: in the bright pattern of males, in the special shape of individual pairs of legs, etc. Males, as a rule, are found less frequently than females, and in some species they are not found at all. At the same time, the virgin development of eggs in spiders appears to be a rare exception. In tenet spiders, sexually mature males usually no longer build trapping nets, but wander around in search of females and are caught in the female’s nets in short period mating. Internal organs The reproductive system of spiders generally has a fairly common structure. The testes are paired, convoluted vas deferens are connected near the genital opening, which in the male has the appearance of a small slit. The ovaries are paired, in some cases fused at the ends into a ring. Paired oviducts are connected into an unpaired organ - the uterus, which opens with the oviductal opening. The latter is covered by a folded elevation - the epigina. There are seminal receptacles - sacs from which the tubules extend to the excretory part of the genital tract and to the epigyne, where they usually open independently of the ovarian opening. The copulatory organs are formed on the male's pedipalps only during the last molt. Before mating, the male secretes a drop of sperm from the genital opening onto a specially woven arachnoid mesh, fills the copulatory organs of the pedipalps with sperm, and during mating, with their help, introduces sperm into the seminal receptacles of the female. In the simplest case, on the pedipalp there is a pear-shaped appendage - a bulbus with a spiral spermatic canal inside. The appendage is extended into a thin spout - an embolus, at the end of which a canal opens. During mating, the embolus is inserted into the female's seminal receptacle. In most cases, the copulatory organs are more complex, and the ways of their complication can be traced within the order and are somewhat different in different groups of spiders. Usually the tarsi of the pedipalps are enlarged. The articular membrane of the bulbus turns into a blood receptacle, which, at the time of mating, swells like a bubble under the pressure of the hemolymph. The spermatic canal forms complex loops and opens at the end of a long embolus, rope-shaped or otherwise shaped. There are often additional appendages that serve for attachment during mating. The structure of copulatory organs in detail is very diverse, characteristic of individual groups and species, and is widely used in the taxonomy of spiders. The male fills the pedipalp bulbs with seed shortly after the last moult. The sperm mesh has a triangular or quadrangular shape and is suspended horizontally. The male immerses the ends of the pedipalps into a drop of sperm secreted onto it. It is believed that sperm penetrates through the narrow channel of the embolus due to capillarity, but it has now been established that at least in forms with complex copulatory organs there is a special seminal suction canaliculus. In some spiders, the male does not make a web, but pulls one or several webs between the legs of the third pair, releases a drop of sperm onto the web and brings it to the ends of the pedipalps. There are also species whose males take sperm directly from the genital opening. A male with copulatory organs filled with sperm goes in search of a female, sometimes covering considerable distances. In doing so, he is guided mainly by his sense of smell. He distinguishes the odorous trail of a mature female on the substrate and her web. In most cases, vision does not play a significant role: males with blurred eyes easily find females. Having discovered a female, the male begins “courtship”. Almost always, the male’s excitement manifests itself in certain characteristic movements. The male twitches the threads of the female's net with his claws. The latter notices these signals and often rushes at the male as if it were prey, causing him to flee.

Persistent “courtship,” sometimes lasting for a very long time, makes the female less aggressive and prone to mating. Males of some species weave small “mating nets” next to the female’s snares, into which they lure the female with rhythmic movements of their legs. In burrow-dwelling spiders, mating occurs in the female's burrow. In some species, repeated mating with several males and competition between males is observed, which gather on the female’s snares and, trying to get closer to her, fight with each other. The most active one drives away rivals and mates with the female, and after some time another male takes his place, etc. Each species of spider has its own characteristic form of “courtship”, or “dance”, of males, according to figuratively Millo, his own “marriage choreography”. The larger, predatory female spider is very aggressive towards the male, who approaches her with the greatest caution. It is believed that the male’s complex forms of behavior are aimed at overcoming the female’s predatory instincts: the male’s behavior differs sharply from ordinary prey. It is characteristic that in cases where gender relations are more peaceful, there are usually no “dances” or other warning movements of the male. In some species, the male mates with a female who has just molted, when her integument has not yet hardened and she is helpless and safe. The behavior of partners after mating is different. In a number of species, the male always becomes the prey of the voracious female, and when the female mates with several males, she eats them one by one. In some cases, the male escapes, showing amazing agility. After mating, the tiny male of one tropical cross climbs onto the female's back, from where she cannot reach him. In some species, partners separate peacefully, and sometimes the male and female live together in the same nest and even share prey. Biological meaning the eating of males by females is not entirely clear. It is known that this is especially characteristic of spiders that feed on a variety of prey, but is not characteristic of species that are more specialized in the choice of prey. In those spiders in which males can mate only once, but after mating they continue to “court,” competing with unmated males, their elimination by the female is beneficial for the species.

Soon the spiders disperse and begin to live on their own. It is at this time that in a number of species, juveniles disperse on spider webs through the air. Young spiders climb onto elevated objects and, lifting the end of their abdomen, release a web thread. If the thread is long enough, carried away by air currents, the spider leaves the substrate and is carried away on it. Dispersal of juveniles usually occurs in late summer and autumn, but in some species in spring. This phenomenon is striking in fine weather. autumn days"Indian summer" Particularly spectacular are the massive autumn flights of spiders in the southern Russian steppes, where sometimes you can see entire “flying carpets” several meters long, consisting of many tangled webs, floating in the air. In some species, especially small ones, adult forms also settle on the web. Spiders can be lifted by air currents to considerable heights and transported over long distances. There are known cases of mass appearance of small spiders flying onto ships hundreds of kilometers from the coast. The settled small spiders are similar in structure and lifestyle to adults. They settle in habitats characteristic of each species and, as a rule, from the very beginning they make dens or weave trapping nets, the design of which is typical for the species, only increasing them as they grow. Sometimes lifestyle changes as you age. For example, young tarantulas lead a wandering daytime lifestyle, and when they grow up they make a burrow and become active at night. The number of molts during life varies depending on the final body size. Small species (5-6 mm) make 4-5 lines, medium (8-11 mm) - 1-8 lines, large (15-30 mm) - 10-13 lines. Males, which are smaller than females, also have fewer molts. Dwarf males of some species, emerging from the cocoon, do not molt at all. Large tarantula spiders, which live for several years, also molt as adults once or twice a year after each breeding season.

Spider (Araneae) belongs to the phylum arthropod, class Arachnida, order Spiders. Their first representatives appeared on the planet approximately 400 million years ago.

Spider - description, characteristics and photographs

The body of arachnids consists of two parts:

The cephalothorax is covered with a shell of chitin, with four pairs of long jointed legs. In addition to them, there is a pair of claws (pedipalps), used by mature individuals for mating, and a pair of short limbs with poisonous hooks - chelicerae. They are part of the oral apparatus. The number of eyes in spiders ranges from 2 to 8.
Abdomen with breathing holes located on it and six arachnoid warts for weaving webs.

The size of spiders, depending on the species, ranges from 0.4 mm to 10 cm, and the span of their limbs can exceed 25 cm.

Coloring and pattern on individuals different types depend on the structural structure of the integument of scales and hairs, as well as the presence and localization of various pigments. Therefore, spiders can have both dull, monochromatic and bright colors of various shades.

Types of spiders, names and photographs

Scientists have described more than 42,000 species of spiders. About 2,900 varieties are known in the CIS countries. Let's consider several varieties:

Blue-green tarantula (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens)

one of the most spectacular and beautifully colored spiders. The tarantula's abdomen is red-orange, its limbs are bright blue, and its carapace is green. The size of the tarantula is 6-7 cm, with a leg span of up to 15 cm. The spider’s homeland is Venezuela, but this spider is found in Asian countries and on the African continent. Despite belonging to tarantulas, this type does not bite spiders, but only marks special hairs located on the abdomen, and only in case of severe danger. The hairs are not dangerous for humans, but they cause minor burns on the skin, similar in effect to nettle burns. Surprisingly, female chromatopelma are long-lived compared to males: the lifespan of a female spider is 10-12 years, while males live only 2-3 years.

Flower spider (Misumena vatia)

belongs to the family of side-walking spiders (Thomisidae). Color varies from completely white to bright lemon, pink or greenish. Male spiders are small, 4-5 mm long, females reach sizes of 1-1.2 cm. The species of flower spiders is distributed throughout European territory (excluding Iceland), and is found in the USA, Japan, and Alaska. The spider lives on open area, with an abundance of flowering herbs, as it feeds on the juices of butterflies and bees caught in its “embraces”.

Grammostola pulchra (Grammostola Pulchra)

Sidewalk spiders (crab spiders) spend most of their lives sitting on flowers waiting for prey, although some members of the family can be found on tree bark or forest floors.

Representatives of the family of funnel-web spiders place their webs on tall grass and bush branches.

Wolf spiders prefer damp, grassy meadows and swampy wooded areas, where they are found in abundance among fallen leaves.

The water (silver) spider builds a nest underwater, attaching it to various bottom objects with the help of webs. He fills his nest with oxygen and uses it as a diving bell.

What do spiders eat?

Spiders are quite original creatures that eat very interestingly. Some types of spiders may not eat for a long time - from a week to a month or even a year, but if they start, there will be little left. Interestingly, the weight of food that all spiders can eat during the year is several times greater than the weight of the entire population living on the planet today.
How and what do spiders eat? Depending on the species and size, spiders forage and eat differently. Some spiders weave webs, thereby organizing clever traps that are very difficult for insects to notice. Digestive juice is injected into the caught prey, corroding it from the inside. After some time, the “hunter” draws the resulting “cocktail” into his stomach. Other spiders “spit” sticky saliva while hunting, thereby attracting prey to themselves.

The main diet of spiders is insects. Small spiders happily eat flies, mosquitoes, crickets, butterflies, mealworms, cockroaches, and grasshoppers. Spiders that live on the soil surface or in burrows eat beetles and orthoptera, and some species are able to drag a snail or earthworm and eat them there in peace.

The queen spider hunts only at night, creating a sticky web bait for unwary moths. Noticing an insect next to the bait, the queen spinner quickly swings the thread with her paws, thereby attracting the attention of the prey. The moth happily hovers around such a bait, and having touched it, it immediately remains hanging on it. As a result, the spider can calmly attract it to itself and enjoy its prey.

Large tropical tarantula spiders happily hunt small frogs, lizards, other spiders, mice, including bats, as well as small birds.

And this type of spider, such as the Brazilian tarantula, can easily hunt small snakes and grass snakes.

Aquatic species of spiders get their food from the water, using their webs to catch tadpoles, small fish or midges floating on the surface of the water. Some spiders, which are predators, due to the lack of victims, can also get enough of plant food, which includes pollen or plant leaves.

Haymaking spiders prefer cereal grains.

Judging by numerous notes by scientists, a huge number of spiders destroy small rodents and insects several times more than the animals living on the planet.

How does a spider weave a web?

In the back of the spider's abdomen there are from 1 to 4 pairs of arachnoid glands (arachnoid warts), from which a thin thread of web stands out. This is a special secret, which today many call liquid silk. Coming out of thin spinning tubes, it hardens in air, and the resulting thread turns out to be so thin that it is quite difficult to see with the naked eye.

In order to weave a web, the spider spreads its spinning organs, and then waits for a light breeze so that the spun web catches on a nearby support. After this happens, he moves along the newly created bridge with his back down and begins to weave a radial thread.

When the base is created, the spider moves in a circle, weaving thin transverse threads into its “product”, which are quite sticky.

It is worth noting that spiders are quite economical creatures, so they absorb damaged or old webs, after which they reuse them.

And the web becomes old very quickly, since the spider weaves it almost every day.

Types of web

There are several types of webs, differing in shape:

The orb web is the most common type, with the minimum number of threads. Thanks to this weaving, it turns out to be unnoticeable, but not always elastic enough. From the center of such a web radial threads-webs diverge, connected by spirals with a sticky base. Typically, round spider webs are not very large, but tropical tree spiders are capable of weaving similar traps that reach two meters in diameter.

Cone-shaped web: This type of web is made by the funnel-web spider. Usually it creates its hunting funnel in tall grass, while it itself hides in its narrow base, waiting for prey.

The zigzag web is its “author”, a spider from the genus Argiope.

Spiders from the family Dinopidae spinosa weave a web directly between their limbs, and then simply throw it onto an approaching victim.

Spider Bolas ( Mastophora cornigera) weaves a thread of web on which there is a sticky ball with a diameter of 2.5 mm. With this ball, impregnated with female moth pheromones, the spider attracts prey - a moth. The victim falls for the bait, flies closer to it and sticks to the ball. After which the spider calmly pulls the victim towards itself.

Darwin's spiders ( Caerostris darwini), living on the island of Madagascar, weave giant webs, the area of which ranges from 900 to 28,000 square meters. cm.

The web can be divided according to the principle of responsibility of its weaving and type:

household - from such webs spiders make cocoons and so-called doors for their homes;
strong - spiders use it to weave nets, with the help of which the main hunt will be carried out;
sticky - it is used only for preparing jumpers in fishing nets and sticks so strongly when touched that it is very difficult to remove.

Spider Reproduction

As spiders grow, from time to time they shed their tight chitinous shell and acquire a new one. They can molt up to 10 times in their entire life. Spiders are dioecious, with the female being much larger than the male. During the mating season, which lasts from mid-autumn to early spring, the male fills the bulbs located at the ends of his pedipalps with sperm and goes in search of a female. After performing the “mating dance” and fertilization, the male spider hastily retreats and dies after some time.

After two and a half months, the female spider lays eggs, and after 35 days small spiderlings appear, living in the web until the first molt. Females reach sexual maturity at 3-5 years of age.

Among spiders, only poisonous ones pose a danger to humans. In the CIS countries there is one such species - the karakurt, or black widow.

With a timely injection of a special serum, the bite goes away without consequences.

IN Lately It has become fashionable to keep spiders at home. For beginners, we recommend the white-haired tarantula spider, which is a harmless representative of the arachnid class.

According to statistics, 6% of the world's population suffers from arachnophobia - the fear of spiders. Particularly sensitive people panic when they see a spider in a photo or on TV.
Frightening-looking tarantula spiders, with a paw span of up to 17 cm, are actually calm and non-aggressive, thanks to which they have earned the reputation of being popular pets. However, owners must protect their pets from stress, otherwise the spider sheds its bright hairs, which cause an allergic reaction in humans.
The most poisonous spiders are considered to be black widows, their variety is karakurt, as well as Brazilian soldier spiders. The venom of these spiders, containing powerful neurotoxins, instantly attacks the victim's lymphatic system, which in most cases leads to cardiac arrest.
Many people mistakenly believe that tarantula venom is fatal to humans. In reality, a tarantura bite causes only a slight swelling, similar to a wasp sting.
Wall crab spiders, named Selenopidae in Latin after the Greek goddess of the Moon, move sideways as well as backwards.
Jumping spiders are excellent jumpers, especially over long distances. As a safety net, the spider attaches a silk web thread to the landing site. In addition, this type of spider can climb glass.
When chasing prey, some species of spiders can run almost 2 km in 1 hour without stopping.
Fishing spiders have the ability to glide across water like water striders.
Most species of spiders have an individual form of woven web. House (funnel) spiders weave funnel-shaped webs; dictine weaver spiders are characterized by angular webs. The web of Nicodam spiders looks like a sheet of paper.
Lynx spiders are distinguished by a property that is uncharacteristic of spiders: to protect the clutch, females spit on the threat of poison, although this poison does not pose a danger to humans.
Female wolf spiders are very caring mothers. Until the children gain independence, the mother “carries” the cubs on herself. Sometimes there are so many spiders that open place Only her 8 eyes remain on the spider's body.
The New Zealand cellar spider was immortalized in cinema thanks to director Peter Jackson, who used this species as the prototype for the spider Shelob.
Very beautiful flower spiders lie in wait for prey on flowers, and adult females, as a camouflage, change their color depending on the color of the petals.
The history of mankind is closely intertwined with the image of the spider, which is reflected in many cultures, mythology and art. Each nation has its own traditions, legends and signs associated with spiders. Spiders are even mentioned in the Bible.
In symbolism, the spider personifies deceit and immeasurable patience, and the spider’s venom is considered a curse that brings misfortune and death.

Spider (Araneae) belongs to the phylum arthropod, class Arachnida, order Spiders. Their first representatives appeared on the planet approximately 400 million years ago.

Spider - description, characteristics and photographs

The body of arachnids consists of two parts:

The cephalothorax is covered with a shell of chitin, with four pairs of long jointed legs. In addition to them, there is a pair of claws (pedipalps), used by mature individuals for mating, and a pair of short limbs with poisonous hooks - chelicerae. They are part of the oral apparatus. The number of eyes in spiders ranges from 2 to 8.
Abdomen with breathing holes located on it and six arachnoid warts for weaving webs.

The size of spiders, depending on the species, ranges from 0.4 mm to 10 cm, and the span of their limbs can exceed 25 cm.

The coloring and pattern on individuals of different species depend on the structural structure of the integument of scales and hairs, as well as the presence and localization of various pigments. Therefore, spiders can have both dull, monochromatic and bright colors of various shades.

Types of spiders, names and photographs

Scientists have described more than 42,000 species of spiders. About 2,900 varieties are known in the CIS countries. Let's consider several varieties:

Blue-green tarantula (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens)

one of the most spectacular and beautifully colored spiders. The tarantula's abdomen is red-orange, its limbs are bright blue, and its carapace is green. The size of the tarantula is 6-7 cm, with a leg span of up to 15 cm. The spider’s homeland is Venezuela, but this spider is found in Asian countries and on the African continent. Despite belonging to tarantulas, this type of spider does not bite, but only throws special hairs located on the abdomen, and only in case of severe danger. The hairs are not dangerous for humans, but they cause minor burns on the skin, similar in effect to nettle burns. Surprisingly, female chromatopelma are long-lived compared to males: the lifespan of a female spider is 10-12 years, while males live only 2-3 years.

Flower spider (Misumena vatia)

belongs to the family of side-walking spiders (Thomisidae). Color varies from completely white to bright lemon, pink or greenish. Male spiders are small, 4-5 mm long, females reach sizes of 1-1.2 cm. The species of flower spiders is distributed throughout European territory (excluding Iceland), and is found in the USA, Japan, and Alaska. The spider lives in open areas with an abundance of flowering herbs, as it feeds on the juices of butterflies and bees caught in its “embraces”.

Grammostola pulchra (Grammostola Pulchra)

Sidewalk spiders (crab spiders) spend most of their lives sitting on flowers waiting for prey, although some members of the family can be found on tree bark or forest floors.

Representatives of the family of funnel-web spiders place their webs on tall grass and bush branches.

Wolf spiders prefer damp, grassy meadows and swampy wooded areas, where they are found in abundance among fallen leaves.

The water (silver) spider builds a nest underwater, attaching it to various bottom objects with the help of webs. He fills his nest with oxygen and uses it as a diving bell.

What do spiders eat?

The main diet of spiders is insects. Small spiders happily eat flies, mosquitoes, crickets, butterflies, mealworms, cockroaches, and grasshoppers. Spiders that live on the surface of the soil or in burrows eat beetles and orthoptera, and some species are able to drag a snail or earthworm into their home and quietly eat them there.

Large tropical tarantula spiders happily hunt small frogs, lizards, other spiders, mice, including bats, as well as small birds.

And this type of spider, such as the Brazilian tarantula, can easily hunt small snakes and grass snakes.

Haymaking spiders prefer cereal grains.

Judging by numerous notes by scientists, a huge number of spiders destroy small rodents and insects several times more than the animals living on the planet.

How does a spider weave a web?

When the base is created, the spider moves in a circle, weaving thin transverse threads into its “product”, which are quite sticky.

It is worth noting that spiders are quite economical creatures, so they absorb damaged or old webs, after which they reuse them.

And the web becomes old very quickly, since the spider weaves it almost every day.

Types of web

There are several types of webs, differing in shape:

The orb web is the most common type, with the minimum number of threads. Thanks to this weaving, it turns out to be unnoticeable, but not always elastic enough. From the center of such a web radial threads-webs diverge, connected by spirals with a sticky base. Typically, round spider webs are not very large, but tropical tree spiders are capable of weaving similar traps that reach two meters in diameter.

Cone-shaped web: This type of web is made by the funnel-web spider. Usually it creates its hunting funnel in tall grass, while it itself hides in its narrow base, waiting for prey.

The zigzag web is its “author”, a spider from the genus Argiope.

Spiders from the family Dinopidae spinosa weave a web directly between their limbs, and then simply throw it onto an approaching victim.

Spider Bolas ( Mastophora cornigera) weaves a thread of web on which there is a sticky ball with a diameter of 2.5 mm. With this ball, impregnated with female moth pheromones, the spider attracts prey - a moth. The victim falls for the bait, flies closer to it and sticks to the ball. After which the spider calmly pulls the victim towards itself.

Darwin's spiders ( Caerostris darwini), living on the island of Madagascar, weave giant webs, the area of which ranges from 900 to 28,000 square meters. cm.

The web can be divided according to the principle of responsibility of its weaving and type:

household - from such webs spiders make cocoons and so-called doors for their homes;
strong - spiders use it to weave nets, with the help of which the main hunt will be carried out;
sticky - it is used only for preparing jumpers in fishing nets and sticks so strongly when touched that it is very difficult to remove.

Spider Reproduction

After two and a half months, the female spider lays eggs, and after 35 days small spiderlings appear, living in the web until the first molt. Females reach sexual maturity at 3-5 years of age.

Among spiders, only poisonous ones pose a danger to humans. In the CIS countries there is one such species - the karakurt, or black widow.

With a timely injection of a special serum, the bite goes away without consequences.

Recently it has become fashionable to keep spiders at home. For beginners, we recommend the white-haired tarantula spider, which is a harmless representative of the arachnid class.

According to statistics, 6% of the world's population suffers from arachnophobia - the fear of spiders. Particularly sensitive people panic when they see a spider in a photo or on TV.
Frightening-looking tarantula spiders, with a paw span of up to 17 cm, are actually calm and non-aggressive, thanks to which they have earned the reputation of being popular pets. However, owners must protect their pets from stress, otherwise the spider sheds its bright hairs, which cause an allergic reaction in humans.
The most poisonous spiders are considered to be black widows, their variety is karakurt, as well as Brazilian soldier spiders. The venom of these spiders, containing powerful neurotoxins, instantly attacks the victim's lymphatic system, which in most cases leads to cardiac arrest.
Many people mistakenly believe that tarantula venom is fatal to humans. In reality, a tarantura bite causes only a slight swelling, similar to a wasp sting.
Wall crab spiders, named Selenopidae in Latin after the Greek goddess of the Moon, move sideways as well as backwards.
Jumping spiders are excellent jumpers, especially over long distances. As a safety net, the spider attaches a silk web thread to the landing site. In addition, this type of spider can climb glass.
When chasing prey, some species of spiders can run almost 2 km in 1 hour without stopping.
Fishing spiders have the ability to glide across water like water striders.
Most species of spiders have an individual form of woven web. House (funnel) spiders weave funnel-shaped webs; dictine weaver spiders are characterized by angular webs. The web of Nicodam spiders looks like a sheet of paper.
Lynx spiders are distinguished by a property that is uncharacteristic of spiders: to protect the clutch, females spit on the threat of poison, although this poison does not pose a danger to humans.
Female wolf spiders are very caring mothers. Until the children gain independence, the mother “carries” the cubs on herself. Sometimes there are so many spiders that only its 8 eyes remain open on the spider’s body.
The New Zealand cellar spider was immortalized in cinema thanks to director Peter Jackson, who used this species as the prototype for the spider Shelob.
Very beautiful flower spiders lie in wait for prey on flowers, and adult females, as a camouflage, change their color depending on the color of the petals.
The history of mankind is closely intertwined with the image of the spider, which is reflected in many cultures, mythology and art. Each nation has its own traditions, legends and signs associated with spiders. Spiders are even mentioned in the Bible.
In symbolism, the spider personifies deceit and immeasurable patience, and the spider’s venom is considered a curse that brings misfortune and death.

Beginners in arachnology who decide to purchase a tarantula spider for home keeping are advised to opt for individuals from the South American continent. These include individuals of the following subspecies: avicularia, brachypelma, grammostola (Chilean tarantula).

Animals are not demanding in terms of maintenance and feeding. They are non-aggressive and have low toxicity. Females are highly fertile. A clutch can contain up to a thousand eggs. How to cage tarantula spiders? What needs to be provided?

Preparing spiders

Exotic lovers try to purchase female tarantulas for home keeping. They live 15-30 years if you follow the rules of care and feeding. The lifespan of males is 3-5 years. To breed spiders at home, different-sex arthropods are purchased.

Moreover, for one female it is better to prepare 2-3 males. This is due to some characteristics of animals.

Females can lay more than a thousand eggs. They require a lot of seminal fluid for fertilization. Often one spider cannot contain sufficient quantity sperm, so not all eggs will be fertilized.

The clutch may consist of eggs without an embryo. In order for the process to be fruitful, 2-3 spiders are placed alternately with the female. How to prepare animals for mating?

Spiders should not be too young. For breeding, individuals of 4-5 molts are selected. Be sure to study information about animal development. Puberty in male red Chilean spiders it occurs at 3 years of age. Females develop more slowly. They are ready for fertilization at 2-4 years. Each subspecies of spiders and tarantulas has its own specific age of puberty.
A sexually mature tarantula develops teeth on its forelimbs. These are tibial hooks. With their help, spiders hold the female in an upright position.
The female's body size must be at least 6 cm. The male is chosen to be larger so that he can hold the female and resist her.
Animals are well fed before mating. Proper nutrition will ensure high-quality formation of sperm and eggs.
Pay attention to how much time has passed since the last molt. If the cage of individuals is carried out a month after shedding the exoskeleton, then fertilization will be ineffective. When breeding tarantula spiders, it is recommended to wait 2-3 months after molting. The animal's body must recover.

Under natural conditions, the breeding season of tarantula spiders occurs in the hot season before rainstorms. Males spin webs. The threads are saturated with seminal fluid. Later they collect it into bulbs, which are located on the pedipalps.

Bulbs are containers. They work like a pump. After collecting the liquid, the containers are closed. The male is ready to mate. He goes in search of a female.

When at home, tarantulas weave webs around the terrarium, but it is difficult to notice the quality of the threads, whether they are saturated with seminal fluid or not. The individuals are caged and the behavior of the female is subsequently observed.

After 1-2 months, its abdomen increases in size by 2-3 times. If the spider's form remained unchanged, then the male was not yet ready to mate. The animals are re-boarded.

How does mating happen?

The cage of fattened individuals is always carried out on the territory of the female. Experts recommend preparing the terrarium immediately. The drinking bowl and all decorations are removed from it, leaving only an object that serves as a refuge for the spider.

The soil is moistened. Bring the percentage of air humidity to 60%. The terrarium must have good ventilation.

For individuals of the burrow type, the depth of the litter is increased to 15 cm. Females will begin to rebuild the burrow, equipping it with a nursery for nymphs. The soil is combined from coconut substrate, vermiculite, sphagnum. Breeding tarantula spiders at home requires following certain rules.

The spider is placed in a terrarium with a female. He begins to explore the territory. It takes him some time to do this. You should not push him with tweezers or direct him towards the female. At this time, the spider may be in its shelter or sitting on the litter; she waits for manifestations of activity from the male. When spiders are ready to mate, they call for a female by tapping their pedipalps on the ground.

The male slowly approaches the spider. If she is ready for fertilization, then there will be no aggression from her. She raises her upper limbs into a vertical stance. At the same time, a gap opens in her epigastric groove in which the ovaries are located. In female tarantulas this is a paired organ.

The spider holds the female in an upright position with its tibial hooks. It touches the slit in the furrow with its pedipalps, releasing seminal fluid from the bulbs. After mating is completed, the tarantula lowers the female and quickly runs away so as not to experience her aggression.

At this point, keepers need to react quickly; disconnect the male from the female, remove him from the terrarium. Otherwise, you may lose it.

The process of fertilization of a female individual does not end there. Another male is placed next to the spider. Sometimes mating of tarantula spiders continues until the female becomes overly emotional.

Spiders reproduce in natural conditions once a year. When keeping at home, you must follow these rules.

The appearance of offspring

If fertilization is effective, then after 2 months the female lays eggs. Shortly before the predicted laying, it is recommended to replace the soil or clean the terrarium. All remaining feed is removed, preventing the process of rotting. The drinking bowl is cleaned and filled with clean water.

Formation of a cocoon by a female tarantula spider

When breeding tarantula spiders at home, it is necessary to follow the rules of hygiene for arthropods. Individuals are fed protein food: darkling beetle larvae, Madagascar cockroaches.

If the female begins to abundantly weave the terrarium with cobwebs. This means that she is preparing to lay. It lines the bed, which consists of dense fabric.
The spider lies down on him and releases eggs from her abdomen. They come out along with a viscous liquid. At this time, the female’s abdomen sharply decreases.
After laying, the individual begins to collect the entire web into a cocoon. It looks like a small ball.
The spider constantly moves the cocoon to certain places in the terrarium, looking for the optimal microclimate.
The air temperature in the container is kept at 24 0C, the humidity is increased to 70%, but you should always be based on the characteristics of the subspecies. Some spiders require more high temperature air and maximum humidity.
The incubation period lasts 1-2 months, but already at 35 days nymphs appear in the cocoon. The female helps them break the cocoon.

After the spider has formed a cocoon, it is recommended to inspect it for integrity. Young females do not completely cover the clutch with cobwebs. The eggs may die.

Nymphs emerge from the cocoon. They are placed in a separate container, provided with high humidity, and maintained at a temperature of 26-28 0C. You don't need to feed them. They feed on egg yolk. After a month they develop into larvae. I distribute the young animals into separate containers and begin feeding.