widow

[Mary]

This is for Glen really, but look how she has put the sacs up on the top:blink:
One of those will be on it's way to you on Monday Glen.

[Glen Southern]

Fantastic. I have a mini incubator set up and ready. I just lost two of my L.menavodi slings today so I'm really watching my 3 remaining ones to get them to adult hood. I have a male and 2 female sub-adults so I have I'll be able to keep them and get a breeding project going.

The female False widow is doing ok now Mary. She has made a decent sized Web. When do you think she will make adult? Any ideas on age at all? She still looks a little small yet. He's quite a big lad so I need to see her grow a little.

[Mary]

She is around the 7 or 8 months mark now Glen, the one in the pic with her sacs is around a year old. Bear in mind that yours was free range in the spider room for months and that makes a difference when it comes to feeding etc..

[Jay]

I know nothing about true spiders & was just wondering about the picture Mary. Do widows have more than 1 sac at a time then?
Is this usual & why do they do it?

[Glen Southern]

Depending on what literature you read and what species you are talking about the answer is pretty much yes.


The female lays several batches, containing up to 750 eggs each, in one summer. The egg case, about 1/2 inch in diameter, is suspended in the web. It is white to tan in color and has a paper-like texture. There may be 4 to 9 egg sacs produced during a summer. Normally, only 1 to 12 young survive after the egg incubation period of 14 to 30 days due to cannibalism. source: desert usa

Mary has a False Widow there which is from the Steatoda genus not Latrodectus which are the `true` Widows so to speak. They are however both in the Theridiidae family. There are lots of different Latrodectus species found all over the world including here in Europe (Not the UK!)

Here are some snaps of a very cool Latro called Latrodectus pallidus

http://www.southerngfx.co.uk/arachnid/true_spiders_world/L.pallidus_selection009.jpg

http://www.southerngfx.co.uk/arachnid/true_spiders_world/L.pallidus_selection010.jpg

http://www.southerngfx.co.uk/arachnid/true_spiders_world/L.pallidus_selection011.jpg

http://www.southerngfx.co.uk/arachnid/true_spiders_world/L.pallidus_selection012.jpg

http://www.southerngfx.co.uk/arachnid/true_spiders_world/L.pallidus_selection013.jpg

[Jay]

Hiya Glen, That sounds really interesting. Where did you find it? I would like to read up & learn more about true spiders.

[Glen Southern]

Where did I find what Jay? Not sure what you mean.

There gazillions of species fo true spiders the world over. Just use google and you will be reading till next summer :)

[Jay]

Where did I find what Jay? Not sure what you mean.

There gazillions of species fo true spiders the world over. Just use google and you will be reading till next summer :)

Sorry Glen, it was that little highlighted quote box.
I will be reading up later hopefully when we get back from hospital. These true spiders I am finding really fascinating.

[Mary]

Quick update on mine, with the sac I sent to Glen she has laid 4, one of which has opened in the container and has spewed out hundreds of slings, how to catch them I do not know.