How spiders reproduce. Sexual behavior

Having become accustomed to their exotic pets – spiders – many people are thinking about breeding and raising offspring. This is primarily due to the high cost of some types. In addition, the spider farm can fit even in a small room. The article will be written using the example of breeding tarantula spiders, due to the fact that they are most common as pets.

Preparing and mating spiders at home

Like any other animal, spiders need a partner (male/female) to reproduce. Most spiders are cannibals, so it would be necessary to transfer the male to a female at risk. If there is an additional pair, they can also be transplanted into a separate terrarium, but it will be difficult to keep track of both pairs.

Since preparation for mating is a long process, at this time it is best not to limit the spiders in food, because during this time they can eat each other due to hunger.

A few weeks before mating, the male weaves a web where the process of producing seminal fluid will take place. Mating begins in the form of a small dance, during which fertilization occurs. Immediately after mating, the male must be removed from the terrarium, as the female will eat him. But, to be clear, this will not work every time.

During pregnancy, the female becomes more aggressive, so you should not disturb her again. The female will lay her eggs in a cocoon, depending on the species, after several weeks or months. At first, the female will carry the cocoon with her, after a week she will make something like a nest and place the cocoon there. But over time, she will move it from place to place for protection, and the female will also sometimes turn it over. Usually the baby emerges from the cocoon after 4-12 weeks, it also depends on the species. They will need to be transplanted into separate containers, since they may begin to feed on each other.

How to take care of offspring

Feed small spiders according to the instructions; do not experiment, as they may become poisoned. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that small spiders tend to escape from their “place of residence,” so carefully inspect the containers for the presence of large holes, as well as the tightness of the lid.

After a few weeks of feeding, they will be old enough to have their own personal terrariums.

Spiders are characters in horror films. It would seem, why be afraid of them? It crawls and crawls, and quite quickly. They do no harm to people, they weave a web. And they enjoy life. And gosh, how much disgust they cause.

Meanwhile, the process of birth of spiders is very difficult. How are spiders born? We will talk about this in the article.

Making a nest

More precisely, it’s not us who make things, but the mother of spiders. These arthropods develop in eggs. The spider keeps it securely in a cocoon.

But first things first. First, the future mother spider weaves a nest. A “backing” is woven under the eggs. It is a soft web. Eggs are laid on this web. And the top is covered with another layer of cobwebs. The result is pancakes made from spider webs with an egg-shaped filling between them.

After the pancake is ready, the spider turns it into a cocoon. And attaches it to the wall of the nest. In it, the eggs mature, and the baby spiders inside are preparing to be born.

Number of spiders

How many spiders are born at a time? Given that the clutch consists of a fairly large number of eggs, it is difficult to predict how many babies will see the light of day. A spider can weave one cocoon and lay 5 eggs in it. Or he can work on several with a total number of eggs of about a thousand. This happens extremely rarely. Most often, the number of cocoons with clutches reaches 10. Now imagine that each of them contains five eggs. And this means that fifty baby spiders will be born.

Spider Mom

Speaking about how spiders are born, one cannot fail to mention the “merits” of their mother. The spider is the guardian of her babies. She valiantly guards the cocoon, and if anyone dares to encroach on the treasure, death awaits him. While the babies are developing in the eggs, the spider loses a lot of weight. After all, she doesn’t go out to get her own food. As a result, her abdomen shrinks very much and becomes wrinkled. The spider often dies near the nest, without waiting for the children to hatch.

If the new spiders in this world are lucky and they find their mother alive, then a better guard will not be found. A mother is able to recognize her children by feeling them with her pedipalps. And woe to the spider that finds itself in the zone of her groping. At best, he'll kick you out. Otherwise, he will kill. This is a threat to your beloved children.

Birth of spiderlings

How are spiders born? Let's start with how the baby develops. The spider lies in the egg, right on the yolk of the egg. And it comes together in one heap. Before this it was segmented. And then all his body parts - segments - merged together. And the spider began to resemble a normal arthropod creature: there was an abdomen, eight legs, and a head, gradually turning into a chest, with eight eyes.

Our baby has grown up. The egg is cramped for him. This is where the shell of the egg bursts. Or the spider itself makes its way to the exit, breaking the shell. If the mother is alive and nearby, she will help the offspring get out. If not, then the little ones should sit in the remains of the shell and wait for the first molt. Little spiders are funny: they are hairless and colorless. They cannot eat or weave webs on their own.

Further fate

Just as spiders are born, they sit hungry if their mother is not around. The spider feeds the babies for the first time until they moult. What should the orphan spiders do? They eat the yolk, which is prudently stored in their abdomen. And they patiently wait for the moult. Have they moulted, shed their baby skin and acquired a chitinous shell? Now you can learn to weave a web.

Rarely does one of the “babies” immediately leave its egg. Most baby spiders live in the remains of the shell for several months. And then they crawl out, and their paths with their brothers and sisters diverge forever.

True, not all representatives are like this. Crosses, for example, clump together. And they bask in the sun for a long, long time. Only then do they scatter. And tarantulas travel on their own mother. They climb onto her back and ride like that. When they grow up, the spider itself resettles its offspring. Drops them in different places from the back. Why not throw them all at once, they will have more fun together? And so that they don’t die of hunger.

By the way, about food. What do little orphan spiders eat, besides yolk? The yolk is running out, but I want to eat. It sounds terrible, but they eat their own mother’s body. Climbing out of the shell, the kids discover a shriveled, dead spider. Only they don’t know that it’s the mother in front of them. And the whole brood pounces on the food. So the spider feeds her children after her own death.

You can see how spiders are born in the photo. The sight is not the most pleasant, but it is useful for educational purposes.

Conclusion

Flora and fauna are special worlds. With its own subtleties and tricks. It would seem, who is interested in how spiders are born? They hatched and ran away. But as it turned out, this is a whole complex system. Everything in it is provided by nature. And the mother spider makes a strong nest, and food for the babies is already hidden in the egg. And they wait out the molt in the remains of the shell. Only when young people become stronger do they go in search of their place of residence.

There is no need to be afraid of house spiders. They are harmless and non-poisonous. Why kill just because arthropods seem disgusting? They have their value in the ecological system.

Spider (Araneae) belongs to the phylum arthropod, class Arachnida, order Spiders. Their first representatives appeared on the planet approximately 400 million years ago.

Spider - description, characteristics and photographs

The body of arachnids consists of two parts:

• The cephalothorax is covered with a shell of chitin, with four pairs of long jointed legs. In addition to them, there is a pair of claws (pedipalps), used by mature individuals for mating, and a pair of short limbs with poisonous hooks - chelicerae. They are part of the oral apparatus. The number of eyes in spiders ranges from 2 to 8.
• Abdomen with breathing holes located on it and six arachnoid warts for weaving webs.

The size of spiders, depending on the species, ranges from 0.4 mm to 10 cm, and the span of their limbs can exceed 25 cm.

Coloring and pattern on individuals different types depends on structural structure covers of scales and hairs, as well as the presence and localization of various pigments. Therefore, spiders can have both dull, monochromatic and bright colors of various shades.

Types of spiders, names and photographs

Scientists have described more than 42,000 species of spiders. About 2,900 varieties are known in the CIS countries. Let's consider several varieties:

• Blue-green tarantula (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens)

one of the most spectacular and beautifully colored spiders. The tarantula's abdomen is red-orange, its limbs are bright blue, and its carapace is green. The size of the tarantula is 6-7 cm, with a leg span of up to 15 cm. The spider’s homeland is Venezuela, but this spider is found in Asian countries and on the African continent. Despite belonging to tarantulas, this type does not bite spiders, but only marks special hairs located on the abdomen, and only in case of severe danger. The hairs are not dangerous for humans, but they cause minor burns on the skin, similar in effect to nettle burns. Surprisingly, female chromatopelma are long-lived compared to males: the lifespan of a female spider is 10-12 years, while males live only 2-3 years.

• Flower spider (Misumena vatia)

belongs to the family of side-walking spiders (Thomisidae). Color varies from absolutely white to bright lemon, pink or greenish. Male spiders are small, 4-5 mm long, females reach sizes of 1-1.2 cm. The species of flower spiders is distributed throughout European territory(excluding Iceland), found in the USA, Japan, and Alaska. The spider lives in open areas with an abundance of flowering herbs, as it feeds on the juices of butterflies and bees caught in its “embraces.”

• Grammostola pulchra (Grammostola Pulchra)

Sidewalk spiders (crab spiders) spend most of their lives sitting on flowers waiting for prey, although some members of the family can be found on tree bark or forest floors.

Representatives of the family of funnel-web spiders place their webs on tall grass and bush branches.

Wolf spiders prefer damp, grassy meadows and swampy wooded areas, where they are found in abundance among fallen leaves.

The water (silver) spider builds a nest underwater, attaching it to various bottom objects with the help of webs. He fills his nest with oxygen and uses it as a diving bell.

What do spiders eat?

Spiders are quite original creatures that eat very interestingly. Some types of spiders may not eat long time- from a week to a month and even a year, but if they start, there will be little left. Interestingly, the weight of food that all spiders can eat during the year is several times greater than the weight of the entire population living on the planet today.
How and what do spiders eat? Depending on the species and size, spiders forage and eat differently. Some spiders weave webs, thereby organizing clever traps that are very difficult for insects to notice. Digestive juice is injected into the caught prey, corroding it from the inside. After some time, the “hunter” draws the resulting “cocktail” into his stomach. Other spiders “spit” sticky saliva while hunting, thereby attracting prey to themselves.

The main diet of spiders is insects. Small spiders happily eat flies, mosquitoes, crickets, butterflies, mealworms, cockroaches, and grasshoppers. Spiders that live on the soil surface or in burrows eat beetles and orthoptera, and some species are able to drag a snail or earthworm and eat them there in peace.

The queen spider hunts only at night, creating a sticky web bait for unwary moths. Noticing an insect next to the bait, the queen spinner quickly swings the thread with her paws, thereby attracting the attention of the prey. The moth happily hovers around such a bait, and having touched it, it immediately remains hanging on it. As a result, the spider can calmly attract it to itself and enjoy its prey.

Large tropical tarantula spiders happily hunt small frogs, lizards, other spiders, mice, including bats, as well as small birds.

And this type of spider, such as the Brazilian tarantula, can easily hunt small snakes and grass snakes.

Aquatic species of spiders get their food from the water, using their webs to catch tadpoles, small fish or midges floating on the surface of the water. Some spiders, which are predators, due to the lack of victims, can also get enough of plant food, which includes pollen or plant leaves.

Haymaking spiders prefer cereal grains.

Judging by numerous notes by scientists, a huge number of spiders destroy small rodents and insects several times more than the animals living on the planet.

How does a spider weave a web?

In the back of the spider's abdomen there are from 1 to 4 pairs of arachnoid glands (arachnoid warts), from which a thin thread of web stands out. This is a special secret, which today many call liquid silk. Coming out of thin spinning tubes, it hardens in air, and the resulting thread turns out to be so thin that it is quite difficult to see with the naked eye.

In order to weave a web, the spider spreads its spinning organs, and then waits for a light breeze so that the spun web catches on a nearby support. After this happens, he moves along the newly created bridge with his back down and begins to weave a radial thread.

When the base is created, the spider moves in a circle, weaving thin transverse threads into its “product”, which are quite sticky.

It is worth noting that spiders are quite economical creatures, so they absorb damaged or old webs, after which they reuse them.

And the web becomes old very quickly, since the spider weaves it almost every day.

Types of web

There are several types of webs, differing in shape:

• The orb web is the most common type, with the minimum number of threads. Thanks to this weaving, it turns out to be unnoticeable, but not always elastic enough. From the center of such a web radial threads-webs diverge, connected by spirals with a sticky base. Typically, round spider webs are not very large, but tropical tree spiders are capable of weaving similar traps that reach two meters in diameter.

• Cone-shaped web: This type of web is made by the funnel-web spider. Usually it creates its hunting funnel in tall grass, while it itself hides in its narrow base, waiting for prey.

• The zigzag web is its “author”, a spider from the genus Argiope.

• Spiders from the family Dinopidae spinosa weave a web directly between their limbs, and then simply throw it onto an approaching victim.

• Spider Bolas ( Mastophora cornigera) weaves a thread of web on which there is a sticky ball with a diameter of 2.5 mm. With this ball, impregnated with female moth pheromones, the spider attracts prey - a moth. The victim falls for the bait, flies closer to it and sticks to the ball. After which the spider calmly pulls the victim towards itself.

• Darwin's spiders ( Caerostris darwini), living on the island of Madagascar, weave giant webs, the area of ​​which ranges from 900 to 28,000 square meters. cm.

The web can be divided according to the principle of responsibility of its weaving and type:

• household - from such webs spiders make cocoons and so-called doors for their homes;
• strong - spiders use it to weave nets, with the help of which the main hunt will be carried out;
• sticky - it is used only for preparing jumpers in fishing nets and sticks so strongly when touched that it is very difficult to remove.

Spider Reproduction

As spiders grow, from time to time they shed their tight chitinous shell and acquire a new one. They can molt up to 10 times in their entire life. Spiders are dioecious, with the female being much larger than the male. During the mating season, which lasts from mid-autumn to early spring, the male fills the bulbs located at the ends of his pedipalps with sperm and goes in search of a female. After performing the “mating dance” and fertilization, the male spider hastily retreats and dies after some time.

After two and a half months, the female spider lays eggs, and after 35 days small spiderlings appear, living in the web until the first molt. Females reach sexual maturity at 3-5 years of age.

Among spiders, only poisonous ones pose a danger to humans. In the CIS countries there is one such species - the karakurt, or black widow.

With a timely injection of a special serum, the bite goes away without consequences.

Recently it has become fashionable to keep spiders at home. For beginners, we recommend the white-haired tarantula spider, which is a harmless representative of the arachnid class.

• According to statistics, 6% of the world's population suffers from arachnophobia - the fear of spiders. Particularly sensitive people panic when they see a spider in a photo or on TV.
• Frightening-looking tarantula spiders, with a paw span of up to 17 cm, are actually calm and non-aggressive, thanks to which they have earned the reputation of popular pets. However, owners must protect their pets from stress, otherwise the spider sheds its bright hairs, which cause an allergic reaction in humans.
• The most poisonous spiders black widows are considered, their variety is karakurt, as well as Brazilian soldier spiders. The venom of these spiders, containing powerful neurotoxins, instantly attacks the victim's lymphatic system, which in most cases leads to cardiac arrest.
• Many people mistakenly believe that tarantula venom is fatal to humans. In reality, a tarantura bite causes only a slight swelling, similar to a wasp sting.
• Wall crab spiders, named Selenopidae in Latin after the Greek goddess of the Moon, move sideways as well as backwards.
• Jumping spiders are excellent jumpers, especially over long distances. As a safety net, the spider attaches a silk web thread to the landing site. In addition, this type of spider can climb glass.
• When chasing prey, some species of spiders can run almost 2 km in 1 hour without stopping.
• Fishing spiders have the ability to glide across water like water striders.
• Most species of spiders have an individual form of woven web. House (funnel) spiders weave funnel-shaped webs; dictine weaver spiders are characterized by angular webs. The web of Nicodam spiders looks like a sheet of paper.
• Lynx spiders are distinguished by a property that is uncharacteristic of spiders: to protect the clutch, females spit on the threat of poison, although this poison does not pose a danger to humans.
• Female wolf spiders are very caring mothers. Until the children gain independence, the mother “carries” the cubs on herself. Sometimes there are so many spiders that only its 8 eyes remain open on the spider’s body.
• The New Zealand cellar spider was immortalized in cinema thanks to director Peter Jackson, who used this species as the prototype for the spider Shelob.
• Very beautiful flower spiders lie in wait for prey on flowers, and adult females, as a camouflage, change their color depending on the color of the petals.
• The history of mankind is closely intertwined with the image of the spider, which is reflected in many cultures, mythology and art. Each nation has its own traditions, legends and signs associated with spiders. Spiders are even mentioned in the Bible.
• In symbolism, the spider personifies deceit and immeasurable patience, and the spider’s venom is considered a curse that brings misfortune and death.

Little is known about the life cycle of the vast majority of tarantulas. We can only assume that it is similar to the cycle of those few carefully studied species, and make certain additions to it based on factors such as seasons, temperature, humidity and habitat. Be careful! These assumptions can easily mislead you. For too long they tried to adapt Terafozide to existing formulas. Surprises await us, and assumptions can only serve as a starting point. This requires other areas of research. Everything stated here may apply only to North American species, but may not be true at all for species from Africa, Asia, etc.

Maturation

In the life of every tarantula there is one significant molt (if it, of course, lives to see it) - this is the adult or largest molt.

The duration of puberty depends very much on the type of tarantula, the sex of the individual, physical condition, nutritional conditions and other factors unknown to us. For example, male tarantulas mature a year and a half earlier than their sisters, but insufficient nutrition can delay this process for two years or more (Baerg 1928).

In one of the North American species, this molt occurs at 10-12 years of life (Baerg 1928). Males of the species Aphonopelma anax can mature at two to three years of age (Breene 1996), and some tropical tarantulas (eg Avicularia spp.) mature even more quickly, perhaps even by 8 months of age (Chagrentier 1992).

Among individuals of the same brood, males mature much earlier than females. One hypothesis to explain this fact is that such maturation at different times prevents siblings from mating, and therefore preserves genetic diversity.

Another hypothesis suggests that males take less time to reach full body weight because they have less weight than females. This leads to the conclusion that females take longer to develop larger reproductive organs and gain more body weight in preparation for ovulation. If this hypothesis is correct, then avoidance of inbreeding is only a secondary phenomenon. Before the next molt, all tarantulas belonging to the same species appear more or less alike, and even after maturation the adult female still looks very much like a large juvenile.

The male, however, undergoes a radical transformation during his maturation after the final molt. It develops longer legs and a smaller abdomen than the female. In most varieties, the front pair of legs now have prominent, forward-pointing hooks on each tibia.

Male Brachypelma smithi. The tibial hooks and bulbs on the pedipalps are visible.

Male Brachypelma smithi. The tibial hooks on the first pair of walking legs are visible.

The male's character also changes (Petrunkevetch 1911): instead of a balanced, reclusive behavior, he acquired an excitable, hyperactive temperament, characterized by impetuous starts, fast movements and a strong desire to change places. For the male, this maturing molt is the final one. In short, this is the beginning of the end. His days are numbered.

One of the most important transformations occurs in its pedipalps. While his sister's pedipalps still resemble walking legs, his pedipalps look like they're wearing boxing gloves. But make no mistake: he is a lover, not a fighter! The bulbous ends of its pedipalps are now very complexly arranged and adapted for use as specific genital organs. The terminal segments on the pedipalps have changed from relatively simple tarsi and claws to complex secondary reproductive organs used to introduce sperm into the female reproductive tract.

Sex Life

Little is known about the sexual behavior of wild tarantulas. Virtually all we really know comes from observing spiders living in captivity, and such housing can radically change habits and instincts. We report here only what little we know about the wild habits of tarantulas and can only hope for more extensive research in this area.

Charger

Soon after the final molt, the male tarantula spins a web of sperm and thereby prepares itself for a sexual career (Baerg 1928 and 1958; Petrankevich 1911; Minch 1979). This sperm web usually looks like a silky tent, open on both sides. But in general it can occur in one of two options. Some varieties build it with only two open ends. Others weave it also opening from above. In this case, the male will spin an additional small patch of special web inside (apparently with his epiandrous glands), adjacent to the upper edge. If there is no open top, he will spin such a patch inside and adjacent to the edge of one of the open ends. Turning upside down under this web, he will then deposit a drop of his sperm on the underside of that small patch. After which he will climb to the top of the web, clinging to the pedipalps, first one, then the other, stretch through the top (if it is open), or through the open end (if the top is closed) and charge his bulbs with sperm. This process is called sperm induction.

The sperm with which he charges his bulbs is not yet active. Once sperm are produced in the testes, they are encased in a protein capsule and remain dormant until the male is called to fertilize the female (Foelix 1982).

After “charging” his pedipalps, the male leaves the sperm web and goes to look for a female to court. During his wanderings, the male is exposed to conditions common to any predator in this environment, and therefore he must be hyperactive even in order to survive and mate. Thus, male hyperactivity is a necessary survival feature. Where does the male weave his first sperm web? Within his burrow before he leaves the web or after he leaves the burrow to search for a female? The hole seems like a very tight place to perform the necessary movements, but it is much safer than an open space.

The male will spin several sperm webs and charge the tips of his pedipalps more than once. It is capable of mating several times during its sexual career. But there is still very little data indicating how many times a male is capable of recharging his pedipalps, or how many females he can impregnate. Where does the male build additional sperm webs after he leaves his burrow? Does it prefer secluded areas under a rock or other cover, or does it simply stop anywhere there is an object that can be used as a vertical support, oblivious to the rest of the world? Most likely, the answers to these questions depend on the species of the tarantula. Clearly, more extensive research is needed. The righteous girls he usually looks for stay at home, waiting for their suitors. Of course, the greater the distances he covers, the greater the chance he has of finding a female ready to mate. Males sometimes found them by moving almost two kilometers from their home (Dzanowski-Bell 1995).

The Taming of the Shrew

Females are probably discovered through some kind of sense (we cannot confidently call it taste or smell) and the tactics of weaving nets around their burrows (Minch 1979). Once the sperm web has been woven, the male will begin to very carefully tap his feet at the entrance to the female's burrow in an attempt to arouse her interest. If this does not produce the desired effect, he will try to very carefully crawl into her hole. At some point in his movement, he will come into contact with the female, and here there are two possible scenarios for the development of events. It can be met with an almost explosive attack. In this case, the female can pounce on him like a ferocious tiger, with bared fangs and the clear intention of having dinner instead of sex. The male must try to hastily retreat from the hole or else he will become the main dish on his bride's menu.

In another scenario, the female initially ignores him, acting modest and persistently seeking her affection. In this case, the male will lower his prosoma until it lies on the surface, while holding the opisthosoma high in the air. He extends his front legs and pedipalps towards the female and, in this position of extreme supplication, drags his body back. This ingratiating appearance almost always works, and while the male pulls himself back, the female modestly follows him. From time to time he pauses his retreat, still maintaining a submissive body position, alternately thrusting and thrusting his pedipalps and forelegs, first from the left side, then from the right, then from the left again, to maintain the female's interest. So, step by step, they move in an unusual procession from the hole to the surface.

The courtship of araneomorphic spiders (the families Araneidae, Pisoridae, Saltikiidae and Lycosideidae, for example) is often very complex and bizarre. In these spiders, the male performs a small dance or plucks web threads from the female’s web in a special way, which seems to turn off her predatory instinct and replaces it with a willingness to accept an assistant in procreation. Some males in the Pizorida family even go so far as to offer the female a recently caught insect before mating.

Courtship among tarantulas is relatively simple and straightforward. Males (and sometimes females) often twitch and strike the ground with their pedipalps and legs before mating. However, this is not as complex a dance as that of the Araneomorph. To date, there have been no seriously documented attempts to determine differences in mating rituals among different tarantula species. In these spiders, it is generally very difficult to determine whether they are currently ready to mate or not. Perhaps this reminds us of what they are, and that a mistaken sign by a male is a sure way for him to be attacked and eaten.

Somewhere on open space When the female is no longer in familiar territory, the male may try to approach her cautiously. By this time, when he has seduced her and lured her out of her hiding place, she already recognizes him as a suitor and remains motionless. The male may touch her with the tips of the front pair of legs or tap them on the ground or on the female several times in a row. After a short pause, he can resume his movements. Usually the male performs these manipulations several times until he is convinced that the female is not planning anything criminal against him. In fact, the sequence of events, the exact number of all movements and the type of foreplay vary depending on the species of tarantula and may be an important clue to understanding their phylogeny (Platnek 1971). However, no one has yet conducted truly serious studies of sexual behavior in these spiders.

Copulation

If the female is still passive or if she approaches too slowly, the male carefully moves closer by moving his front legs between her pedipalps and chelicerae. At the same time, the female will raise and spread her fangs. This is not an expression of hostility, but rather of readiness to mate. The male grabs her fangs with his tibial hooks in order to give a stable position to both himself and his girlfriend. It is a mistake to believe that in this way the male makes the female motionless and, as it were, disarms her. Nothing like this! At this moment, she is just as eager for intimacy as he is. The authors witnessed many cases where it was the female who took the initiative, initiating mating with the male herself! After the male has securely grabbed the female's fangs, he pushes her back and forth. At this moment, he extends his pedipalps and gently strokes the lower part of her abdomen. If she remains calm and obedient, he will open the embolus of one pedipalp and carefully insert it into the gonopore of the female's epigastric groove. This will constitute the actual act of copulation. After penetration, the female bends sharply almost at a right angle to the male, and he, having emptied one pedipalp, quickly inserts and empties the other.

After copulation, the male holds the female as far away from him as possible until he can safely detach his front legs and start striding! The female often pursues him for a short distance, but is extremely rarely full of determination. Although she is one of the predators he must run from, she is usually more interested in simply driving him away from her. Contrary to the legend that the lover spider lives to seduce as many innocent maidens as possible, there is good reason to believe that it may simply return another evening to mate with a compliant female for a second or third time.

After several weeks or months of maturation, depending on the species, the male tarantula begins to slowly decline and eventually dies. Rarely do they survive winter, and even more rarely do they survive spring (Baerg 1958). To date, there are no reliable data on the lifespan of males of most species, although the authors kept several males that lived for approximately 14-18 months after the final molt.

Undoubtedly, old weak males in nature become easy prey and this is probably why they have a shorter life span than in captivity. In West Texas, the authors collected a large collection of male tarantulas in both early spring and mid-April. Most of these males, judging by their emaciated appearance, were obviously survivors from the previous autumn. A small but significant proportion of them (perhaps one in five or six) appeared neither emaciated nor showing signs of loss of stubble or any physical damage.

One would expect that in warmer areas, some species of tarantulas might molt and reproduce much earlier than once thought. Subsequently, Breen (1996) described the mating cycle of Athonopelma anax from southern Texas, in which males matured and mated with females in early spring.

In many parts of the tropics, some tarantulas (e.g., Avicularia genus) molt and reproduce regardless of the season due to stable temperatures, humidity, and food abundance (Charpentier 1992).

Baerg (1928, 1958) and later Minch (1978) argued that the female does not have sufficient time to lay eggs between breeding in early spring and molting in midsummer. If this were true, then such pairing would be inconsistent. However, Breen (1996) has carefully described the situation that occurs with Aphonopelma anax.

The authors' experience with captive Brachypelm tarantulas has shown that matings before December and after midwinter (January in Canada) are usually fruitless. Thus, it turned out that the mating and oviposition seasons differ for each species, and often radically. These creatures constantly give us unexpected surprises, especially when we think we have all the answers.

Motherhood

Baerg (1928) reports that wild female tarantulas living in Arkansas (for example, Aphonopelma hentzi), having laid eggs, close the entrances to their burrows soon after mating and thus overwinter. The sperm donated by the male is carefully given shelter in her spermatheca until next spring. And only next spring she will spin a cocoon the size of a walnut, containing a thousand eggs or more. She will take care of him, carefully ventilating her hole and protecting him from predators. While protecting the offspring, the female can be very aggressive.

The timing of egg laying varies significantly. Here are some of the factors that determine layover timing:

1. A species of tarantula;
2. Geographic latitude of the female tarantula's homeland;
3. Prevailing climate;
4. Hemisphere.

There may also likely be other factors, but there are so many in reality that any generalizations here may be inappropriate.

Arkansas tarantulas (Athonopelma enzi) typically lay eggs in June or July (Baerg 1958), while those from west Texas lay eggs a month earlier. In captivity, exotic tarantula species can lay eggs in early March. This appears to be the result of keeping them indoors in an artificial climate.

Fertilization of eggs occurs during their laying, and not during mating, as one might assume. Insemination of the female appears to serve at least two functions. This can stimulate her to produce eggs while sequestering the dormant sperm in a convenient, protected location until the right time.

Females of most vertebrates ovulate regardless of whether or not there has been contact with a male. Chickens constantly lay eggs (fertilized or not), and in humans, women undergo ovulation and monthly cycles with no sexual intercourse at all. It is not yet clear whether this also happens in tarantulas or not. The authors kept many females that did not begin producing eggs until they were fertilized by a male. While sleek and slender before, they became bloated and heavy within a few weeks of mating. It can be assumed that mating or the presence of viable sperm in the female's spermatheca prompted her to begin producing eggs.

On the other hand, Baxter (1993) suggests that female tarantulas can produce eggs without mating. This may occur due to the start of the breeding season, the abundance of food available, or even the simple proximity of a male of the relevant species. The authors have many females who look extremely heavy and plump, but who have not mated for many years. If they were full of eggs, Baxter's hypothesis would be confirmed. If they simply turned out to be full of fatty tissue, the previous hypothesis would be confirmed. But the authors cannot sacrifice any of their pets, so this question remains unanswered for now. These two hypotheses are not mutually exclusive and both may be correct depending on the circumstances. These creatures have been around too long not to have developed a vast repertoire of little tricks to confuse us.

With a standing population of 150 to 450 adult tarantulas, most of them female, for more than 25 years, the authors had only one female laying eggs without being fertilized by a male. In this case, a female Afonopelma from Texas lived in captivity for over 3 years and underwent three molts. On the fourth spring she produced a cocoon, but the eggs did not develop. Baxter (1993) also reports the laying of infertile eggs by unfertilized females of Psalmopeus cambridges. In a personal letter, Brin reported that he had observed this phenomenon almost thirty times! We are not sure about the timing of cocoon development for most tarantulas in the wild, but it certainly varies with temperature environment and spider species. Somewhat more information is known about the periods of development of some species of tarantulas when the eggs were kept in an incubator. The periods associated with the development of eggs of various tarantulas are presented in Table XII. It must be emphasized that these data are valid only for artificial incubator conditions.

Larvae of tarantulas Afonopelma enzi emerge from cocoons in July - early August and leave the mother's burrow about a week or a little later (Baerg 1958). Soon after this, the female will begin molting. If she has not mated in time to lay fertilized eggs, she will begin to molt somewhat earlier, perhaps in late spring or early summer. Afonopelma anax from southern Texas lays eggs in June–July and molts in August–early September (Breen 1996). Thus, once mating has occurred, the schedule for the remaining females becomes approximately the same as that of the Afonopelma enzi variety.

Along with the rest of the exoskeleton, the lining spermatheca with the remains of sperm will be discarded, and our lady will again become a virgin.

The category of the most popular species includes spiders, which are perfectly adapted for keeping in captivity, are completely unpretentious, and also have an unusual appearance:

• curly-haired tarantula spider or Brachyrelma alborilosum– an unpretentious ambush spider, leading a nocturnal lifestyle. An ideal exotic option for beginners, thanks to its original appearance, fairly large body size, and amazing calmness. It is not brightly colored, and its unusual appearance is due to the presence of fairly long hairs with black or white tips. The main color of the spider is brown or brownish-black. The average body length is 80 mm with paw sizes of 16-18 cm. The cost of an adult individual reaches four thousand rubles;
• Acanthoscurria Antillensis or Acanthosсurria antillensis- a spider native to the Lesser Antilles. The species belongs to the family Tarantulas. This is a fairly active spider that hides in a shelter during the day and feeds on various insects. The body length reaches 60-70 mm with a leg span of 15 cm. The main color is dark brown with a slight metallic sheen on the carapace. The average cost of an adult reaches 4.5 thousand rubles;
• chromatopelma cyaneopubescens Chromatorelma cyaneopubescens is a popular and very beautiful tarantula spider, which is characterized by a body length of 60-70 mm, as well as a leg span of up to 14-15 cm. The main coloring is represented by a combination of a reddish-orange abdomen, bright blue limbs and green carapace. A hardy species that can survive without food for several months. The average cost of an adult reaches 10-11 thousand rubles;
• crassiсrus lamanai- a species safe for humans, characterized by the presence of expanded joints in the area of ​​the fourth leg in females. The main coloring of an adult male is black. The body size of the male is up to 3.7 cm and the carapace is 1.6x1.4 cm. Mature females are much larger than males and their body length reaches 7 cm with a leg span of 15 cm. Adult females are colored predominantly in brown tones. The average cost of an adult reaches 4.5 thousand rubles;
• cyсlosternum fasciаtum- one of the smallest in size, a tropical species of tarantula spider native to Costa Rica. The maximum leg span of an adult is 10-12 cm with a body length of 35-50 mm. Body color is dark brown with a noticeable reddish tint. The cephalothorax area is colored reddish or brown, the abdomen is black with red stripes, and the legs are gray, black or brown. The average cost of an adult reaches 4 thousand rubles.

Also popular among lovers of domestic exotics are such species of spiders as Cyriocosmus bertae, Grammostola golden-striped and pink, poisonous Teraphosa blondie.

Important! It is strictly not recommended to keep a red-backed spider at home, which is known to many as. This species is considered the most dangerous of the spiders in Australia and secretes neurotoxic poison, so the owner of such an exotic must always have an antidote on hand.

Where and how to keep a house spider

Sedentary spiders that lack the characteristic roundness in the abdomen are most likely sick, malnourished, or suffering from dehydration. In addition to the exotic, you need to choose and purchase the right terrarium for its maintenance, as well as the most important accessories to fill your home.

Selecting a terrarium

In oversized terrariums filled with big amount decorative elements, such exotic items can easily get lost. It is also important to remember that many species are unable to get along with their neighbors, so, for example, it is advisable to keep tarantulas alone.

A terrarium house, the optimal size of which is two times the length of the maximum leg span, will be cozy for the spider. As practice shows, even the largest specimens feel great in a home measuring 40x40cm or 50x40cm.

According to their own design features terrariums can be horizontal for terrestrial species and burrowing exotics, as well as vertical for tree spiders. When making a terrarium, as a rule, tempered glass or standard plexiglass is used.

Lighting, humidity, decor

Creating optimal, comfortable conditions for the spider is the key to preserving the life and health of the exotic when kept in captivity:

• A special substrate in the form of vermiculite is poured onto the bottom of the terrarium. The standard layer of such backfill should be 30-50 mm. Dry coconut substrate or regular peat chips mixed with sphagnum moss are also very suitable for these purposes;
• The temperature regime inside the terrarium is also very important. Spiders belong to the category of very heat-loving pets, so the optimal temperature range will be between 22-28°C. As practice shows, a slight and short-term decrease in temperature cannot cause harm to spiders, but one should not abuse the endurance of such exotics;
• Despite the fact that spiders are predominantly nocturnal, they cannot be limited in light. As a rule, to create comfortable conditions, it is quite enough to have natural light indoors, but without direct sunlight on the container;
• As a shelter for burrowing species of spiders, special “houses” made of pieces of bark or coconut shells are used. Also, various decorative driftwood or artificial vegetation can be used to decorate the interior space.

The humidity inside the spider's home requires special attention. The presence of a drinking bowl and the correct substrate allows you to ensure optimal performance. You need to control the humidity level using a standard hygrometer. To increase humidity, the terrarium is irrigated with water from a household spray bottle.

Important! It should be noted that overheating the air inside the terrarium is very dangerous for a well-fed spider, since in this case the processes of decay in the stomach are activated and undigested food becomes the cause of exotic poisoning.

Terrarium safety

A terrarium for a spider should be completely safe, as for the most exotic pet, and for others. It is especially important to follow safety rules when keeping poisonous spiders.

It should be remembered that spiders are able to move quite deftly even on a vertical surface, so the main condition for safe keeping is the presence of a reliable lid. You should not purchase a container that is too high for terrestrial species of spiders, as otherwise the exotic may fall from a considerable height and suffer a life-threatening abdominal rupture.

To ensure sufficient ventilation for the spider’s life, it is necessary to make perforations in the form of small and numerous holes in the lid of the terrarium.

What to feed house spiders

In order to make the process of feeding and caring for your home spider as convenient as possible, it is recommended to purchase tweezers. With the help of such a simple device, insects are given to spiders, and food remains and waste products that pollute the home are removed from the terrarium. The diet should be as close as possible to the spider’s diet in natural, natural conditions. The standard serving size is about a third of the size of the exotic itself.

This is interesting! The drinking bowl is installed in terrariums for adult individuals and can be represented by an ordinary saucer, slightly pressed into the substrate at the bottom of the container.

Life expectancy of a spider at home

The average life expectancy of an exotic pet in captivity can vary greatly depending on the species and compliance with the rules of keeping:

• acanthosсurria antillensis – about 20 years;
• chromatоrelma сyanеоrubеsсens – males live on average 3-4 years, and females – up to 15 years;
• tiger spider – up to 10 years;
• redback spider – 2-3 years;
• Argiope vulgaris – no more than a year.

Among the long-lived spiders, the females of Ahonopelma are deservedly included, the average life expectancy of which is three decades.

Also, record holders for life expectancy include some species of spiders from the family of tarantulas, which are capable of living in captivity for a quarter of a century, and sometimes more.