Black Widow Eggs

SpiderShadowz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 25, 2010
Messages
23
One of my black widow spiders just laid eggs sometime in the last few weeks. She is in a jar with metal lid with holes punched through. I can't get the egg sac out yet, and will need help to do so. Any advice or information on the egg process would be of great help. I am fine with the widow spiders when they are big but scared to death of the egg sac hatching. She built her sac close to the lid, and I need to get it out but she moves to attack the lid each time I try to unscrew it. I am going to attempt this tomorrow by unscrewing in upside down outside so if she escapes it will be easy to recapture (its too cold to just set this outside and let her do what she needs to do with the sac). I need to get the sac out. Any advice, or information on what to expect with her behavior? I want to avoid causing her any trauma or getting bit myself.

I seem to recall reading on the forums that baby spiders cannot get through the mesh of pantyhose. Is this true?

The egg sac is white, and I also read on another thread that the sac darkens before it hatches. Is it likely she will lay more than one sac?

I wanted to post this on one of the other threads but did not want to take any off topic so I started this one, hope that is ok.
 

Widowman10

Arachno WIDOW
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 25, 2007
Messages
4,212
females may be defensive with a sac. use a stick or something to get it out. you shouldn't get bit unless you're just plain careless or clumsy ;)

pantyhose = true.

yes the sac darkens. darkens b/c the slings are molting. sac darkens a week to a few days before hatching. which usually takes 20-40 days.

yes she will lay more than one sac provided she has ample food and water.

any other questions?
 

buthus

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
1,381
Fan brush.. one will do ..ounce ya steer her away with that kinda manipulative power...she'll be cool. In fact, keep the sac in with her web and re-house her IMHO... the observation of the hatch and what happens afterwords is worth the no-effort. Cook some spaghetti and re-house her in the upside-down sauce jar. :?:D
 

Irene B. Smithi

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 1, 2009
Messages
520
they're clumsy out of the web... Just open the jar carefully, take out the web at the top and scoop out the sac. Be careful, but once the web is taken out, they're very slow and clumsy.
 
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