Phidippus audax eggs hatched!

[sekmet022]

I'm so happy! Theres hundreds of the little buggers still within the web hammock, but slowly coming out of their cocoon! Only problem is the mother is nowhere to be seen. Granted the webbing is pretty thick, so its possible im just missing her somewhere inside it. But this has me wondering, do phidippus audax practice matriphagy? I'll be pretty bummed if the mother fed herself to her babies. :\

 

[Andee]

No she should still be alive as far as matriphagy, but the question is did she eat at all when she was guarding them? or did she have enough weight to be able to guard them without dying with no food?

 

[8by8]

I agree with Andee. If she didn't have enough weight and moisture stored up she very well could have passed. I would give a few days and try and separate the slings and see if shes in there.

 

[Andee]

The hard thing is spider mama's are such good mama's most of the time sometimes they sacrifice themselves in more ways than one.

 

[8by8]

The hard thing is spider mama's are such good mama's most of the time sometimes they sacrifice themselves in more ways than one.

So true.

 

[Little Grey Spider]

I've raised dozens of clutches of audax. They do not practice matriphagy. One species that comes to mind that does is Amaurobious ferox.
Anyway, I agree, it's later in the season, she may have died of old age or malnutrition if she's not hiding in the thick sac. They do not leave their young willingly, so if she's not there she's likely gone to spider heaven.

 

[sekmet022]

It seems shes still alive and kicking! She did indeed eat a large cricket before laying her egg and retreating for 3 weeks. She and her young are now gradually inching towards the opening these past few days.

... i better buy more fruit fly cultures. So many babies .

 

[miss moxie]

I'm so glad mommy is safe! I saw this thread yesterday but didn't have anything helpful to add but was hoping the momma-spider was alive and well. Good to hear.

 

[Andee]

I am so glad she is healthy and happy and all the babies are doing so well ^^

 

[Ratmosphere]

Glad she's alright!

 

[TylerFishman5675]

My mother spider died halfway into raising her clutch so I had to step in, and she left me with these little buggers

 

[sekmet022]

My mother spider died halfway into raising her clutch so I had to step in, and she left me with these little buggers

Sorry to hear But at least her legacy lives on!

I'm still waiting for my spiderlings to come out of the hammock, they've already started to turn darker from their initial yellow, so hopefully it wont be too long! One particularly brave and adventurous spiderling has already split off from the rest and is sitting right at the opening of the hammock