A Mother of a Spider

Spiders lay their eggs in silken sacs the shapes of which differ markedly depending on the species of spider. Where the sacs are kept is also species dependent. Some spiders suspend their egg sacs to vegetation, on their webs or on surfaces. Ground Spiders (pictured left) live in crevices in wood or rocks and attach their very thin egg sacs to those surfaces.

Wolf Spiders are one of only a couple of types of spider where the female carries the egg sac with them, pictured right. Female Wolf Spiders attach the spherical sac with a silk line to the spinnerets at the end of the abdomen. The egg sac is carried under the abdomen until the spiderlings are born. When the spiderlings are ready to hatch the spider opens the sac to release them.

The spiderlings are carried around on the mother’s back for the first few weeks of their lives (pictured above). If they become detached the mother will wait for them to climb back on board. During this time the spiderlings do not eat but instead rely on fat reserves within their bodies for sustenance. When those fat reserves are exhausted the young spiders leave to hunt their own food. Unfortunately, some of the first foods are their siblings.

Brings a new meaning to ‘Love your brothers and sisters’.