something more than just a biological clock

[pato_chacoana]

As you may know, tarantulas have a biological clock. They know when it's dawn, dusk, night...etc. Even if we put artificial light in the room, they just know when the real night comes. I've found this to be pretty amazing, but there's another observation that this particular year I've made. This year, it's more warm than usual over here, so far we are not actually having a winter at all. It's like we are skipping winter and going straight from autumn to spring. The funny thing is that last year it snowed in july here in Buenos Aires, which happened twice once in the city's history. So, now we are having the most warm year ever, and of course our little spider friends are noticing this change too. My spider room has a controlled temperature, keeping the same environment as last year, but it seems that the spiders react to outside temperatures as well. The molt cycles are accelerated, all my adults B. smithi have already molted, and the A. chacoanas are about to molt (the A. chacoanas usually molt at the end of October)
So far these year it's very weird and I can't wait to know what will happen with the breeding projects. I'm also making a field trip in October, it could be interesting how this affected wild tarantulas populations.


Well, that's what I wanted to share with you guys, I don't know about you, but I've found that to be pretty amazing.

Pato.

 

[desertdweller]

Thanks so much for the post! I find it fascinating too. I have watched my own T's respond to outside weather they are not directly exposed to also. In Arizona (USA), the desert gets monsoon rains every July-August. We had none in July but the wild Ts were out anyway. I always thought they used the rains to judge when to emerge and mate.

My inside Ts of the same local species are also doing the mating search on time with no outside stimulus too. My males AND female were already gearing up for it by their own biological clocks. Sometimes I think they are smarter than we are! Thanks again. :clap:

 

[penny'smom]

There not have been monsoons in AZ, but I know southern areas of the state were getting quite a bit of rain off of Hurricane Dolly when I was in Rio Rico for the ATS conference in late July. It rained everyday that I was there. That may have been enough for the yearly "rain trigger". JAT.

 

[pato_chacoana]

Thanks so much for the post! I find it fascinating too. I have watched my own T's respond to outside weather they are not directly exposed to also. In Arizona (USA), the desert gets monsoon rains every July-August. We had none in July but the wild Ts were out anyway. I always thought they used the rains to judge when to emerge and mate.

My inside Ts of the same local species are also doing the mating search on time with no outside stimulus too. My males AND female were already gearing up for it by their own biological clocks. Sometimes I think they are smarter than we are! Thanks again. :clap:

Yes they are amazing animals! wiser than us that's for sure! Thank you for your comment

Pato.

 

[DrAce]

I find this whole aspect quite interesting. There have been quite a few comments posted in other threads regarding air pressure and moult cycles - I think it was Talkenlate who posted quite a large thread on the subject.

The sort of weather you guys are commenting on is often associated with unsettled frontal systems where there is a large range of air pressures which move through quite quickly (think stormy situations, and sudden changes from 'normal' to 'terrible' weather). It's possible that the same phenomenon that was being reported by Talken is in action - they are responding to air pressure.

I can't help but wonder if humidity is also a possible factor.

Still, all interesting.