Orbweaver egg sac in cage... when to move outside?

[Gemmoides]

A cat-faced orbweaver spider (araneus gemmoides) built her web by my porch light this fall. We named her "Charlotte." (Not very original, I know!) She hadn't made an egg sac and we were about to have our first frost (it was late November in Santa Fe, NM). I didn't want to let her die, so I bought a fish tank and brought her inside. This was my first time keeping a spider, but I got some info on this forum (thank you!) and elsewhere. Charlotte proved to be quite adaptable. She continued to spin webs, and I got small crickets stuck in them. I upgraded her enclosure to a large mesh chameleon cage about a month ago.

Recently (in mid-January), Charlotte seemed to be less active and interested in prey. Then one day I couldn't find her... until I realized that she'd made an egg sac on the bottom of a cardboard shelf inside her cage! I was quite surprised--when had the mysterious suitor visited? But now I know they can mate much earlier in the season and make their sac later. She insulated the sac by spinning dirt clumps and leaves around it.



It's about a week later and Charlotte is still alive and pretty active. Once she has passed (which I understand will probably happen soon )... I plan to gorilla-tape the cardboard, with the egg sac, to the porch ceiling in the corner where I believe she would have woven it naturally. Now my dilemma is when to put the sac outside. Night temperatures are frigid here now, in the teens and low 20s. But I'm concerned that the warm temperatures inside my house could trigger an early release. (Her enclosure is next to a drafty window, but it's still pretty temperate in here.)

Any advice would be much appreciated!!

Thanks, Gemmoides

 

[egyptiancrow]

not sure if its the case with charlotte but not all spiders die after making an egg sac, you might be looking at a second, third, or even more. my spiders (jumping spiders) make up to six viable egg sacs.

And you should just keep the egg sac where it is until you see the young inside. it should take them 3-4 or more weeks to develope. they wont exit the sac until they darken and can visibly move their legs.

they will probably die if you put the egg sac in the cold. if possible to put them somewhere like a garage or shed where they are some whatshielded from the elements, most will disperse on their own when they are ready while eating the pests in your house. they are harmless web builders so theyll set up shop until they want to move on, not be crawling around constantly.

also, though she may make more than one, this could also be her last one- and you keeping her lengthened her life which is why she is laying in winter.

 

[darkness975]

A cat-faced orbweaver spider (araneus gemmoides) built her web by my porch light this fall. We named her "Charlotte." (Not very original, I know!) She hadn't made an egg sac and we were about to have our first frost (it was late November in Santa Fe, NM). I didn't want to let her die, so I bought a fish tank and brought her inside. This was my first time keeping a spider, but I got some info on this forum (thank you!) and elsewhere. Charlotte proved to be quite adaptable. She continued to spin webs, and I got small crickets stuck in them. I upgraded her enclosure to a large mesh chameleon cage about a month ago.

Recently (in mid-January), Charlotte seemed to be less active and interested in prey. Then one day I couldn't find her... until I realized that she'd made an egg sac on the bottom of a cardboard shelf inside her cage! I was quite surprised--when had the mysterious suitor visited? But now I know they can mate much earlier in the season and make their sac later. She insulated the sac by spinning dirt clumps and leaves around it.

View attachment 408977

It's about a week later and Charlotte is still alive and pretty active. Once she has passed (which I understand will probably happen soon )... I plan to gorilla-tape the cardboard, with the egg sac, to the porch ceiling in the corner where I believe she would have woven it naturally. Now my dilemma is when to put the sac outside. Night temperatures are frigid here now, in the teens and low 20s. But I'm concerned that the warm temperatures inside my house could trigger an early release. (Her enclosure is next to a drafty window, but it's still pretty temperate in here.)

Any advice would be much appreciated!!

Thanks, Gemmoides

Most Araneus spp. Spiders make egg sacks that overwinter and hatch in spring. Keep it outside and sheltered out of the harsh elements and it will hatch in the warmer weather.
Do you have a shed or porch you can keep it in?

 

[Gemmoides]

Thanks for your replies, Egyptiancrow and Darkness! I don't have a garage.... (and where's a barn when you need one??) but I do have a porch that provides some shelter. I'm just worried that since she laid the eggs in a warm environment, that putting them into weather that's getting down to 10 degrees might be quite a shock to them... they may not be hardened for that. Plus, Charlotte is still alive. But maybe in a few weeks it won't be quite so frigid....

And as much as I love orbweavers, one in the house is really enough for me! I have cats... and I'd feel responsible for making sure the orbweavers have food. I've read that the spiderlings will drop a line of silk and sail away on the wind... I like that image.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Thanks for your replies, Egyptiancrow and Darkness! I don't have a garage.... (and where's a barn when you need one??) but I do have a porch that provides some shelter. I'm just worried that since she laid the eggs in a warm environment, that putting them into weather that's getting down to 10 degrees might be quite a shock to them... they may not be hardened for that. Plus, Charlotte is still alive. But maybe in a few weeks it won't be quite so frigid....

And as much as I love orbweavers, one in the house is really enough for me! I have cats... and I'd feel responsible for making sure the orbweavers have food. I've read that the spiderlings will drop a line of silk and sail away on the wind... I like that image.

I’m honestly not sure if just sticking them outside is a problem, but it seems like a reasonable concern. You could put them in the fridge for a week or so before putting them in an insulated box outside. It seems to me me that if there is cold-mediated biochemical signalling that pauses development in preparation for overwintering, this should do the job of preparing them, and sticking them in an insulated box before going outside will slow down the transition from cold to frozen.

 

[Gemmoides]

Thanks Albireo Wulfbooper--that's a good idea, to put them in the fridge.... I would feel weird taking them away from Charlotte while she's still alive, but once she passes I will do that..... As for an insulated box, do you think a cooler would suffice, or....?

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Thanks Albireo Wulfbooper--that's a good idea, to put them in the fridge.... I would feel weird taking them away from Charlotte while she's still alive, but once she passes I will do that..... As for an insulated box, do you think a cooler would suffice, or....?

yeah, anything that will slow down the cooling should help. Animals that overwinter out in the open generally have some sort of antifreeze component they produce to prevent the liquid in their cells from crystallizing and tearing open the cells, so in theory you’re just making sure they have a trigger to produce it, and time to produce enough of it. In eggs that overwinter it’s entirely possible that this is already in place when they’re being laid, but since we don’t know for sure, this seems like the safest available option.

 

[Gemmoides]

That makes sense--sounds like I should start this process soon, then. Thank you for including the science behind this--very helpful!!

 

[darkness975]

That makes sense--sounds like I should start this process soon, then. Thank you for including the science behind this--very helpful!!

Agreed the sooner the better for maximum chance of success.