Need education on wild jumping spiders and their egg sacs

CatWoman

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 26, 2023
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2
I just had to "rehome" what I think was a Phidippus adumbratus that I found in my car. She had spun a thick nest in the door jam, and it contained an egg sac of pale orange eggs. I carefully moved both into a jar but lost nearly all the nest material in the process. I was able to get the egg sac onto a corner of my fence between a post and stretcher, and eventually coaxed the mother out as well.

Once I got her out of the jar, she found a few strands of the nest material and seemed to be investigating it, then she crawled up behind the egg sac in the space between the sac and the post; I covered mother and eggs lightly with a dry leaf. She stayed there for at least 45 minutes, but when I just checked on her, the sac had fallen (or been pulled down) the inch or so from where it had been hanging. It's now fairly damaged and several of the eggs have come free, but she's clinging to it. Where I left her is shaded, but the other side of the fence gets warmed by the afternoon sun. We're having a warm spell at the moment (high 60s), but the nights are still fairly cold (upper 30s). I would have felt better if I'd been able to provide a roof over her head, but I was afraid anything too spider-friendly would already be occupied.

So, what do you think is the chance of success for her eggs? Is she likely to spin a new nest for it, or in her brain does she think that's already been done?
 

NMTs

Spider Wrangler
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Sorry I didn't see this post sooner. I think it's likely that she'll repair the sac and spin a new nest for it. They're pretty good at facing adversity and persevering. Have you had a chance to check if she's still where you left her?
 

CatWoman

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 26, 2023
Messages
2
Sorry I didn't see this post sooner. I think it's likely that she'll repair the sac and spin a new nest for it. They're pretty good at facing adversity and persevering. Have you had a chance to check if she's still where you left her?
Thanks for responding. She was there for a day or so and looked like she might have put up a little more webbing, but then we got some rain (not too heavy and she was somewhat protected under vegetation) and when I went to check, the leaf "roof" that I'd provided was knocked down and the eggs were almost all gone; no sign of the mum. Presumably the eggs were food for another spider? There were just a few loose eggs still lying there.
 

NMTs

Spider Wrangler
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Jan 22, 2022
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Thanks for responding. She was there for a day or so and looked like she might have put up a little more webbing, but then we got some rain (not too heavy and she was somewhat protected under vegetation) and when I went to check, the leaf "roof" that I'd provided was knocked down and the eggs were almost all gone; no sign of the mum. Presumably the eggs were food for another spider? There were just a few loose eggs still lying there.
Well, hopefully the momma was able to survive so she can try again soon! Good job saving her from your car.
 
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