- Joined
- Jun 22, 2004
- Messages
- 972
Here are a few I've run across in the past couple of weeks or so.
Theridion impressum (Theridiidae) with egg sac:
These spiders are interesting in that the young stay with the mother through several molts and often for many weeks or more after hatching. She lets them eat from prey she captures during this time. The female doesn't live long after the spiderlings hatch, maybe a couple of weeks, and the young remain in her web after she has died. I have found juveniles almost as large as the mother, still in her web, a few weeks after she has died. No evidence yet that they make a meal of her.
The web was constructed in the dead outer twigs of a raspberry bush, about 2 feet off the ground. She will add to and enlarge her retreat with the remains of future prey, and it will soon be large enough to shelter her upcoming brood. I took the picture from underneath the spider, looking straight up.
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Agelenopsis utahana (Agelenidae) mating at the entrance of female's web:
I came across this mating pair by accident last week - saw a web in a tree about 5 feet off the ground, took a closer look and there they were. My taking several close pictures, and jostling the web in the process, didn't disturb them at all.
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Arenues trifolium (Araneidae), adult female constructing her web in the middle of the afternoon:
Theridion impressum (Theridiidae) with egg sac:
These spiders are interesting in that the young stay with the mother through several molts and often for many weeks or more after hatching. She lets them eat from prey she captures during this time. The female doesn't live long after the spiderlings hatch, maybe a couple of weeks, and the young remain in her web after she has died. I have found juveniles almost as large as the mother, still in her web, a few weeks after she has died. No evidence yet that they make a meal of her.
The web was constructed in the dead outer twigs of a raspberry bush, about 2 feet off the ground. She will add to and enlarge her retreat with the remains of future prey, and it will soon be large enough to shelter her upcoming brood. I took the picture from underneath the spider, looking straight up.
_________________________________________________
Agelenopsis utahana (Agelenidae) mating at the entrance of female's web:
I came across this mating pair by accident last week - saw a web in a tree about 5 feet off the ground, took a closer look and there they were. My taking several close pictures, and jostling the web in the process, didn't disturb them at all.
_________________________________________________
Arenues trifolium (Araneidae), adult female constructing her web in the middle of the afternoon:
the second species shot is wonderful. Love the eyes!! 