eggs with legs question

[Talkenlate04]

I just watched one burst to. I think its dead now. It was on its second egg. I was watching that one only because It was the first one I had seen eating an egg. I tried to keep him away from other eggs but over night someone rolled to close and he munched him, but his abdomen burst as a result of trying to eat a second egg. Is instinct to kill off competition that strong?

 

[DrAce]

Apparently so! I find that amusing, in a sadistic kinda way.

It's almost certainly an instinctive response. Most developing organisms feed as much as possible... 'higher' organisms have more complicated ways of turning the feed response off.

 

[Talkenlate04]

'higher' organisms have more complicated ways of turning the feed response off.

You would think my "butts going to explode" would be simple enough.

 

[Talkenlate04]

Well they seem to have slown down a bit on the eating of eachother...... and there are still plenty to go around. I think maybe between 60-80 were eaten by their brothers and sisters. And around 90% are all eggs with legs now.

 

[GQ.]

I noticed a few first instar Psalmopoeus irminia eating eggs with legs. The photo is from a sack produced last year. See the below photo.

First Instar eating egg with legs in the very middle of the photo.

 

[Talkenlate04]

1st instar I can see, but these were eggs with legs eating other eggs with legs. It was awesome to watch. Sad but interesting.