Latrodectus (Theridiidae) Picture Thread

[buthus]

After mating I find it interesting to observe the truth to male and female cohabitation. In nature I have observed males sticking around for weeks after mating. I suspect that mating takes a lot out of them and since they are not the greatest web builders, they hang in there waiting for her to start hunting again.
These pics are even more poorly lit then the ones above, but they reveal some interesting behavior.

She caught the crick and pulled it up a ways and as soon as she left it to do a little structural reinforcment, he moved right in...

When she returned, he stood his ground ...even while she was wrapping the cricket up. I suspect that some males loose their lives doing this, because all she has to do is snare a leg and he is doomed.

 

[Splintercell]

Latrodectus ex Laos pics

Hi@all,

Here are some pics of my Latrodectus ex Laos Female.
(there are more pics of her on an other tread I posted,
just look under "Laos")

Greetz, Tom.

 

[KUJordan]

Here are a couple pics of one of my L. variolus subadult females. I think they are the best looking American species, aside from L. bishopi.

 

[JPD]

nice pics......

 

[Spider-man 2]

nice pics......

quiet you....

 

[JPD]

quiet you....

He he...I found that username while searching through members. It said inactive so I decided to post once. I don't think I should use it again, (Isn't that against the rules?)

 

[Spider-man 2]

He he...I found that username while searching through members. It said inactive so I decided to post once. I don't think I should use it again, (Isn't that against the rules?)

Scott...please own him for me. Now back to your regularly sceduled Latrodectus' pics.

 

[buthus]

Like I said, I have been finding some interesting widows this year. Two males that do not look like the male hesperus I have found out here all these years.
The oddball fems are rare also. I'm thinking there could be some mactan blood spoiling the pure hesperus line in my immediate area. ...and, no, if this is actually the case, it wasn't me that did it.

Found this one already as full adult. She was in a strange place because she was using long grass to attach webbing to ...no not really a great clue, but the hesperus out here avoid plant matter like the plague. Even though she has not molted since I got her, her red line has shortened (faded) with time, It used to extend to the top of her dorsal. ..It was a fading line, not a hard edged marking. She is a nice chocolate brown ...99.9% of the hesperus I come across are black..if not jet black.

Missed the actual molt, but here is the result of one of my new tredecimguttatus's final molt.(probably finale) These are really cool. They were shinny black like most black widows when I got them, but after molting they are flat black (and hairy like fine velvet) ...looks like someone sprayed them with black primer. No markings left that I can see ...and NO hourglass.
Crack of my arse theory ...where these are from (Mediterranean area, central Asia, Kazakhstan) and within the niche they fill, there is something that likes to eat things with red warning markings. ..eh? maybe.

Bad lighting..but..

 

[buthus]

Mating project ...oddball hesperus (mactan?) female and an equally odd male.
Both have great markings. I beleive that the female has gone through her ultimate instar but she still has very apparent dorsal markings. Could be she has another molt, but she is already large. If she is full grown, then she is surely the strangest hesperus I have found. Again I question her bloodline. She is similar to the brown abdomon hesperus I posted before, but has white markings and a longer dorsal line. The male is equally strange. Beautiful specimen...very dark and colorful, very large (1 3/8'' leg span) and a nice bulbous abdomon. I've had him for over two months and collected him as a young adult ...so he is an old bugger. He has taken food up to a couple weeks ago ...he had to be used soon, or his genes would be lost.

I took over 200 images over a span of about 3 hours. Usually in mating there is alot of back and forth, this was no different, but the female was very receptive overall. He didn't waste very much time with web cutting, but he was really into bondage ("bridal veil"). Infact, more than any other mating I have watched, he wrapped her up a few times tight enough to make her panic and struggle to get free.

Anyway... pics are not to good. This enclosure is acrylic, so it reflects light badly ...along with my hand held lighting technique ...going to have to improve my setup for documentation along with breaking down and buying a good macro lens.

Introduction

Of course these are but a few pics of the event...

As always the beginnig is "cat and mouse"

Foreplay finaly got her in a trance...

I missed the ultimate shot! This is right before he pulled the first palp.

Reading the meter or something ...idiot. Missed him pulling his embolus out!

You can see that is left palp is mutilated in this shot.

Lucky ...one more round to go!

And finally after some good spastic fun...
The shots I was looking for. ance:

Love you, but got to run! Its amazing how fast she will come out of her trance.

Hanging around for conversation and a smoke.

Hanging back wondering if she will get something to eat. I will feed her today. Generaly the male will stick around and try and snag some food before looking for some more action. Sounds like any kind of male don't it? :Rockon:

 

[Splintercell]

pic's of mating

:clap: @ Buthus.

I have to say,
Realy amasing pictures.
Well done, thanks for sharing.

Greetz, Tom.

 

[Glen Southern]

Fantastic images. I love the thread that shows all the containers you have made Buthus. I'd love to keep latrodectus but I am unsure how to source any over here in the UK. Does anyone know where I can get hold of any? I have a little False Widow and she's cute.

Cheers,

 

[buthus]

Splintercell, thanks. I was up all night in a horrible mood sorting through my massive piles of computer stuff ...until I got the embolus shots!! Then I was happy as I can be. Tough being a little manic... so little can pull you either way. :evil:

Fantastic images. I love the thread that shows all the containers you have made Buthus. I'd love to keep latrodectus but I am unsure how to source any over here in the UK. Does anyone know where I can get hold of any? I have a little False Widow and she's cute.

Cheers,

Thanks Glen. Now... how do we get you some widows? UK laws restrict importing such "harmless" creatures?? If not, you should be able to connect with any number of European keepers and get some. I think there is one close by on this thread but I wont play match maker. I could send you some hesperus ...we could work out some deal ...but shipping overseas can be a bit co$tly.

 

[buthus]

geo building her sac...

I'm going to be up to my ears with geo sacs! :?

 

[Glen Southern]

Thanks Buthus.

Your threads/posts have inspired me so much I am planning a big change in my spider room in the coming months. I am a sculpter (Digital and traditional) and I have had to try my hand at constructing some Latrodectus show cases as you have shown. I'm scultping a hunk of brickwork to fit into a three cell wide case. I'll post some shots at the weekend.

The `local` contact PM'd me and with his help I may be able to get the required species. I have made contact with my local area authority about a DWA licence as all Latrodectus are listed on it in my area of the UK. Not sure what they mean about having the correct insurance though. I am not a retailer/supplier so I don't want to be forking out too much cash on additional insurance for a few little Latros....especially whan I could go out and get a 400lb Rotwieller and require virtually no paperwork...funny old world.

 

[buthus]

If I'm hogging this thread or posting to many pics in a post, just give me the heads up.

Mactans slings "hatching"...

:}

 

[Splintercell]

pic's

Hey buthus,

Keep going on with these pic's.
That's what the tread is about ;-)
Great pictures.:clap:

Kind regards,

 

[David_F]

Great pics, buthus!

Dark phase L. geometricus

 

[KUJordan]

Here's a big L. variolus that gave me some great slings. I love the dorsal pattern retention of variolus:

A subadult L. variolus:

Here's a gorgeous L. mactans that DavidF and I found one day, then a few weeks later Matt (mechanical-mind) and I found again:

Here's another mactans, which I still have now a year later:

 

[buthus]

Got a good number of variolus slings from David. Can't wait fo see some in their full adult glory! Must start power feeding!



hesperus with new and huge eggsac...

Collected this one in AZ. Bred with local male ...she is ripe and ready to give me her third sac...

L. tredecimguttatus...

L. tredecimguttatus... this one has been buiding herself a little pad with webbing and carcasses...

Beginning to think that the first tred has another molt ...just a theory, but it seems to me strange that she isn't displaying this "web lair" behavior.

 

[Glen Southern]

keep em coming. This has to be just about my favorite thread right now. I just can't wait to get my first Lactros next week. I've spent the whole week setting up my new tanks and all I need now are the spiders to go into it.