Sexual behavior. Reproduction

Little is known about life cycle 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 of the hypotheses to explain this fact is that maturation in different time prevents brothers and sisters from mating, and accordingly 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 wanderlust. 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 in the open, 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 moult.

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 as in early spring, and in 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 stable 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 personal letter Brin reported observing this phenomenon nearly 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.

Spiders belong to the animal kingdom, but everyone is accustomed to the fact that they are insects, so we will also sometimes call them that. Most often, spiders do not settle next to humans, but they have long adapted to peaceful coexistence nearby. Now at least a tiny spider lives in every house. About 42,000 species of spiders live on the entire planet, most of them in areas with warm climates. In the CIS countries and Russia there are less than three thousand species of spiders, but many of them weave their webs in human homes, most often in dark, inaccessible corners. There are many signs associated with the appearance of spiders in the house and we could not ignore this topic.

Signs - a spider in the house

If there are spiders in the apartment, many people, on the one hand, feel disgust and even fear, on the other hand, they think about whether to kill the spider in the apartment or leave it, or maybe take it outside? This is associated with many superstitions and signs.

• Why do spiders appear in the apartment? According to popular belief to prosperity and quick success.
• If suddenly a spider falls on your hand or head, this means profit and money.
• If you see a spider going down a thread, the sign foretells the imminent arrival of guests or a letter to your house.
• But if spiders in the house (which is time to get used to and not be surprised) are discovered at night, you need to expect unpleasant events.
• If a spider in an apartment has woven a web right above the sleeping area. What does it mean? This is also no good; most likely the owners will suffer failure and illness.
• Many people wonder if it is possible to kill spiders? According to folk wisdom killing a spider leads to troubles and misfortunes. But just imagine, if your room is all entangled in cobwebs, insects will fall into your plate of food and crawl on you at night. More than an unpleasant picture. So don’t torment yourself with the question of why you can’t kill a spider, especially since, according to another version, doing so will get rid of your sins.

Whether you believe in omens or not, you still don’t need to leave the insect in the house; then take it and throw it outside. Now let's get to know this arthropod better.

Spiders in the apartment - types, photos

Almost all spiders are predators; their diet consists of small animals and insects. Most often they hunt with the help of a web, when the victim is caught in the net, the spider injects poison and digestive juice into it, and after a while sucks out the solution, which is food for them. Usually, owners learn about the presence of a spider by the appearance of a web. They prefer warmth and dryness, and to be disturbed as little as possible. Several species of spiders live in the neighborhood of humans. So, what kind of spiders live in an apartment?

Spider - haymaker

The centipede, window spider or haymaker has a small round or oval abdomen up to one centimeter, 6 or 8 legs up to five centimeters long. Its nets are randomly located in corners, near windows, and often hang upside down. Insects, falling into a web, become increasingly stuck in it. The spider lies in wait for the victim and, after injecting the poison, leaves it in reserve or eats it.

Harvesting spider - photo

Gray and black house spider

Small spiders in the apartment are black or gray spiders. Their total size is about 14 mm. Their web resembles a pipe; after the victim damages the web, they restore it, so you can often see not just a mesh, but complex weaving patterns. As a rule, the female waits for prey.

Black spider - photo

Spider is a hobo

The hobo has an oval body and legs big size. A distinctive feature of the species is the absence of a web. The spider attacks the victim, injects its poison, eats it and moves on. He doesn't stay anywhere for long. In Russia, this type of spider is safe, but in the tropics, the secretion released from their glands leads to poisoning and skin problems.

Hobo spider, photo

Jumping spider

If there is a jumping spider in your apartment, it is a jumping spider. Its difference is that it has 8 eyes arranged in three rows. The patterns on the body are varied, as are the colors. It moves easily on glass thanks to its small claws and hairs on its paws. By the way, he is a vegetarian and eats only acacia.

Jumping spider, photo

The remaining species of these arthropods are found very rarely in houses and do not settle near humans.

Where do spiders come from in an apartment?

In old houses, spiders occupy attics and basements, and from there they make their way into other rooms.

Are spiders dangerous?

All (with rare exceptions) spiders are poisonous. But the harm from the bites of spiders living in our apartments is minimal for humans, thanks to their small, fragile body structure and small fangs. After a karakurt bite, the human body will be subject to neurotoxic effects. And the most great danger from domestic species - necrosis. But most often, neither inflammation nor intoxication occurs. The bite site only needs to be treated with an alcohol-containing product or hydrogen peroxide.

How to get rid of spiders

Before you think about how to get rid of spiders in the house, you should find out who serves as their food source, and who needs to be kept in company with arthropods. Fighting spiders does not always happen with the help of pesticides. To begin with, try simple and effective methods, as they do not form colonies and do not multiply at record speed.

• Find out the reason for the appearance of spiders and start fighting small insects.
• Get rid of cobwebs with a broom or vacuum cleaner. Don't forget to empty the contents of the garbage disposal outside, otherwise the spider will get out and continue to weave its webs. The simplest device for collecting cobwebs is a stick with a rag wrapped around it.
• If there are too many spiders, they have time to lay eggs, which you need to look for in secluded places, for example, on furniture near the walls. Sweep them up and flush them down the drain.
• Seal cracks and crevices, glue wallpaper where necessary, install mosquito nets and screens on ventilation grilles.
• Regular cleaning will prevent the appearance of spiders.
• After repairs, usually not a single spider remains, since the smell of paint and varnish materials is unbearable for them.
• Spiders are repelled by the pungent smells of chestnuts, hazelnuts and oranges, mint, and eucalyptus. You can crush the fruits and scatter them around the room or add drops of the substance to a spray bottle and spray the apartment regularly.
• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the baseboards; when the insect gets on it, it quickly dies.
• Regular vinegar is highly effective. Add a few drops of vinegar to the water, pour into containers and place around the apartment.

Chemical repellents for spiders in the apartment

If the number of spiders in your home has become alarmingly large, do not use chemicals not enough. Universal aerosols against spiders are ineffective. Use household preparations based on pyrethroids. Be careful when spraying, remember to take safety precautions and follow the instructions. Also remember that the poison only works when it gets on the spider’s body.

A product that is suitable for fighting spiders - “Dobrohim FOS” - has proven itself well. The drug is an acaricidal agent that allows you to destroy arachnids with a 100% guarantee. The product is safe for people, but has a lethal effect on insects.

Easy to use Butox 50. The drug is sprayed where there are especially many spiders, left for 20 minutes, then the room is ventilated and cleaned. If you decide to use Neoron, be careful; it is very dangerous to use near food products.

It happens that the use of aerosols is impossible for some reason - small children, pets, and so on. Then it is advisable to use pills - traps, inside of which poison is placed. In addition to other control methods, it is recommended to place glue traps in corners, behind cabinets, and under low furniture.

To prevent such a problem as many spiders in the apartment from arising, regularly carry out high-quality cleaning, ventilate and beat out mattresses and pillows - this way there will be less dust at home. Wash lighting fixtures, pay more attention to hard-to-reach places - in corners, under furniture, in closets, especially if you rarely use them. And remember that the spider is more of a useful creature than a pest, so let all methods of control be gentle.

Big spider in the apartment

Spiders are arthropods that belong to the class of arachnids. Representatives of this class, today, there are about 40 thousand species. They differ from each other in their way of life, appearance, and type of nutrition. In nature there are the most various types spiders: the smallest and most harmless spiders (0.37 mm), as well as the most dangerous spiders and even the most poisonous spiders in the world (up to 25 cm). And in this article we will tell you about several amazing and interesting species.

Tarantula spider – Theraphosidae

The tarantula spider is perhaps the most big spider in the world, or rather the family of tarantula spiders (Theraphosidae). Some members of this family can reach 30.5 cm in leg span, such as the king baboon, black tarantula and purple tarantula. The body of tarantulas is always densely covered with long and short hairs. Body color can be either gray-brown or bright colors(red, blue, red). Tarantulas live in countries with hot climates (Africa, South America, Oceania, Australia). These spiders inhabit abandoned nests of birds and rodents or dig holes near tree trunks. They are active mainly in the evening. Then they go hunting or catch a prey running nearby. Tarantulas feed on insects, small birds and rodents. These spiders breed in late summer. The female lays eggs in a cobweb cocoon, which she carries with her and does not lose sight of. They protect the offspring, so that the spiderlings that emerge from the cocoon sit on the mother’s abdomen for some time. But soon they begin to lead independent life. The tarantula's venom paralyzes the victim and decomposes its entrails, then the spider sucks out the contents of the victim's body. For humans, the tarantula's venom is not dangerous, but quite painful. The bite site bakes, hurts and swells, sometimes turning yellow. But these symptoms go away after a few weeks.

Cross spider – Araneus

Crossworts are members of the orb weaver family (Araneidae). They belong to the contract web spiders. They have an egg-shaped convex abdomen, on which there is a pattern in the form of a cross. Body color ranges from gray to red. They are covered with long bristles, sparsely distributed throughout the body and densely covered with short, thin hairs. Body length in males is 10-11 mm, in females – 17-40 mm. About 30 species of crosses live in the CIS and Russia. These spiders are active in the evening. They deftly weave webs that catch many small insects. Mating and egg laying occurs in the fall. The female lays eggs in a web cocoon and hides it under the bark or other secluded place. In the spring, spiderlings emerge from the cocoon. By the end of summer, a new generation of spiders grows up, and their mother dies. The cross spider is poisonous, but it is not dangerous to humans. Its bite is painful, but the burning and swelling at the site of the bite goes away after a few hours.

Karakurt spider - Latrodectus tredecimguttatus

This is not a large black spider at all. The body of the female (10-20 mm) is completely black, which is why she is also called a black widow, the body of the male (4-7 mm) is also black, but with bright red spots on the abdomen (usually 13 spots ). The karakurt spider lives in Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, and on the shores of Mediterranean Sea, V North Africa, Southern Europe, Kazakhstan, southern Russia and Ukraine. They prefer the slopes of ravines, virgin wormwood, wastelands, and the banks of irrigation ditches. Karakurts inhabit abandoned rodent burrows and ventilation systems, entwining the entrance with cobwebs. In such dens, females and males mate at the end of summer. The female lays her eggs in a cocoon of cobwebs and hangs it in her den. In spring, spiderlings emerge from cocoons. Karakurts feed on small insects. Their venom is toxic to large animals and people. There is a burning sensation and swelling at the site of the bite. After 10-15 minutes, the poison spreads throughout the body and the person experiences pain in the chest, abdominal part. Dizziness, nausea, sweating, rapid heartbeat, and delirium also occur. And if you don’t provide it in time medical care, death is possible (in most cases). Karakurt bites through the skin only 0.5 mm, so it is recommended to cauterize the bite site with a lit match within 2 minutes after the bite.

White karakurt - Latrodectus pallidus

Image of white karakurt

This is a white spider, with long legs and a round abdomen. The abdomen is white or milky in color, with 4 indentations. The legs and cephalothorax are yellow or light brown. White spider has a body 10-20 mm long. Females are larger than males. White spiders weave a web in the shape of a cone, which is connected to a trapping net. They live in North Africa, the Middle East, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. The white karakurt spider is not aggressive, but its poison is toxic and can cause complications. Children and the elderly are most susceptible to the effects of the poison. Toxicological studies have shown that the poison of the white karakurt is similar to the poison of the karakurt (Latrodectus tredecimtugattus). If you are bitten by this spider, you should consult a doctor.

Camel spider - Camel spider

The camel spider has many names: phalanges, bihors, salpugs, barbers, barbers, wind scorpion. The body (5-7 cm) is slightly oblong, light and dark red, densely covered with long, thin hairs. The camel spider's body shape is similar to a scorpion, especially with its chelicerae (claws). With them he is able to bite through a human nail and even small bones birds. He also uses his chelicerae to trim hairs and feathers from his victims and place them in his home. The camel spider lives in the desert regions of Asia, Africa, America, and Europe. Phalanx spider is a nocturnal predator. It is practically omnivorous and carnivorous, feeding on various insects, rodents, and lizards. Camel spiders have eyes like scorpions: 2 compound eyes in the middle and one on each side of the cephalothorax. Compound eyes are highly responsive to movement, so these spiders are incredibly fast, up to 53 cm/s (1.9 km/h).
The camel spider is not poisonous, but it does have an incredibly painful bite. And also on its chelicerae the remains of the tissues of the previous victim can rot, which can cause serious inflammation.

Jumping spiders – Salticidae

Jumping spiders or jumping spiders are a family of araneomorphic spiders that includes 610 genera and 5,800 species. Live in tropical forests, in deserts, semi-deserts, temperate forests and mountains. These are small spiders, up to 2 cm long. The body is pubescent. These spiders have well-developed vision. They have 8 eyes, thanks to which they see 360º degrees. Jumping spiders differ from each other in body shape, color and range. There are the following types of jumping spiders:
- the golden jumping spider lives in the south-east of Asian countries, and is characterized by a long abdominal part and a large first pair of legs. The body has a very peculiar golden color. The length of a male rarely exceeds 76 mm, and females have more large sizes;

- Himalayan jumping spiders are the smallest spiders. They live high above sea level, in the Himalayas, where their only prey is the occasional small insect that gets blown onto the mountain slopes strong wind;

- The green jumping spider lives in New Guinea, New South Wales and Queensland. Often found in Western Australia. The male has a very bright color, and his body is decorated with long sideburns white;

- The red-backed species of jumping spider settles in relatively dry areas. The red spider is often found on coastal dunes or oak woodlands in North America. These red spiders are unique in that they are able to build tube-like silken nests under rocks and on the surface. grapevine;

- the species Hyllus Diardi has a body up to 1.3 cm long. Compared to other types of jumping spiders, it does not weave a web, therefore, to catch prey, it attaches a silk thread to some support, and then jumps from such a peculiar “bungee” onto its victim;

- the ant jumping spider looks very similar to an ant and is most often found in tropical zones from Africa to central Australia. Body color can vary from light yellow to black.

Jumping spiders are unique in that they can jump long distances (up to 20 times their body size). Before jumping, they cling to the substrate with a web (thus securing their jump), then push their body out with their hind legs. Jumping spiders are absolutely harmless to humans. They have poison, but it has no effect on humans, and their bite is almost painless.

Argiope bruennichi or spider wasp - Argiope bruennichi

Argiope has the second name of the wasp spider, since the color of the body and the shape of the abdomen resemble a wasp. Body length 2-3 cm (leg span). The abdomen is elongated with bright stripes, the predominant colors are yellow, white, and black. The legs are long, thin, and mostly in an X-shaped position. The spider wasp lives in Kazakhstan, Asia Minor, Central Asia, China, Korea, India and Japan, North Africa, Southern and Central Europe, Crimea, and the Caucasus. These spiders are also found quite often in Russia. Argiope belongs to the spiders of the orb-weaving spider family (Araneidae). It is typical for these spiders to weave a wheel-shaped web, and have a stabilimentum (zigzag pattern) in the center. This is a forest spider. It very often settles on lawns, forests, gardens, in tall grass, between tree branches. The wasp spider feeds on various insects. Mating occurs after the female has moulted, while her body remains soft. The female lays eggs in a large cocoon (outwardly resembling a plant seed pod) and places it next to catcher's web. The spiderlings emerge from the cocoon at the beginning of autumn and settle downwind on cobwebs. The wasp spider is not dangerous to humans. Its venom may only cause slight redness, swelling and pain, but these symptoms go away very quickly.

Wolf spiders – Lycosidae

Wolf spiders are a family of araneomorph spiders that number 2,367 species. The body color is usually gray-brown. The body is covered with small short hairs. Some species reach more than 3 cm (leg span). The wolf spider lives almost everywhere except Antarctica. He prefers rain forests, meadows, hiding under fallen leaves, stones, wood. They don't weave webs. These are earth spiders, so they live in a hole, which is only covered with cobwebs inside. If this private sector– you can easily stumble upon it in the basement. If there is a vegetable garden nearby, he can easily get into your cellar. Active at night. The wolf spider hunts insects or catches those who run near its burrow. This spider is a good jumper. He can jump on the victim, securing himself with a web. Mating occurs in the summer. After mating, the female lays eggs in a cocoon that she carries at the end of her abdomen. After 2-3 weeks, the spiderlings emerge from the cocoon and climb onto their mother’s abdomen. They sit like this until they learn to get their own food. The wolf spider is not dangerous to humans. Its bite is equivalent to a bee sting, which causes itching, swelling and redness, which goes away fairly quickly.

Harvesting spiders – Pholcidae

This family has about 1000 species of spiders. Harvesting spiders have a small body and long thin legs. Body size 2-10 mm. The length of the legs reaches 50 mm. Body color is grayish or reddish. Harvesting spiders are ubiquitous. Some species live in people's homes. There they find warm and dry places, mainly near windows. They feed on small insects. These spiders weave large webs in a chaotic manner. The web is not sticky, but when the victim tries to get out of it, it becomes even more entangled. After mating, females lay eggs in a web cocoon, which they attach to the side of the trapping nets. For humans, harvest spiders are absolutely harmless. Their venom is safe, and the bite cannot be felt.

Goliath tarantula - Theraphosa blondi

This giant spider is considered the largest in the world. The span of its legs reaches 30 cm. In Venezuela (1965), one of the representatives of this species was listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The span of its legs was 28 cm. It is believed that the leg span of Heteropoda maxima is even longer, up to 35 cm. But this species has a small body and long thin legs. So he is small compared to the massive goliath.
The body of the goliath is light or dark brown, densely covered with short hairs. They live in burrows, the entrance of which is covered with cobwebs. This huge spider lives in the tropical forests of Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, and northern Brazil. It feeds on various insects, rodents, frogs, lizards and even snakes. The life expectancy of females is 15-25 years, males - 3-6. These spiders are amazing in that they are able to make a hissing sound by rubbing their chelicerae; the ability to shake hairs from the abdomen into the enemy’s face, which cause swelling of the mucous membrane. The goliath tarantula also has large and sharp chelicerae (claws), with which it can bite very painfully. Their venom is not dangerous to humans; the symptoms are the same as after a bee sting.

Runner spider (soldier spider, banana spider, wandering spider) – Phoneutria

The Brazilian spider is the most poisonous spider in the world. The length of its body reaches 15 cm. The body is pubescent, gray-brown in color. He lives in Central and South America. The runner spider feeds on insects, frogs, lizards, and small birds. Lives in burrows, under leaf litter. But very often, secluded places in people’s homes become its home. It is often called banana because it is often found in boxes of bananas. These scary spiders have incredibly toxic venom that causes instant death, which is why they are the most poisonous spiders in the world. Their venom contains the neurotoxin PhTx3, which paralyzes all muscles in the human body, causing suffocation and then death. Only 2-6 hours pass between the bite and death. Old people and children are most exposed to the runner spider's venom. Today there is a vaccine that neutralizes the effect of the poison, so if you are bitten by a spider, you should immediately consult a doctor.

As you can see, representatives of arachnids are so different: some of them are pleasing to the eye, while the sight of others makes the blood freeze in your veins, some can be picked up or kept in your home as a pet, and some sow fear and bring instant death. Now you know which types of spiders are absolutely harmless and which ones you need to stay away from. The good news is that dangerous species Spiders are not found in our area, but mainly in tropical countries. But you never know what can happen... Nature is absolutely unpredictable.

Spider (lat. 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.

The coloring and pattern on individuals of different species depend on the structural structure of the integument 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 (lat. 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 in African continent. Despite belonging to tarantulas, this type of spider does not bite, but only throws 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, with an effect reminiscent of a nettle burn. 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 (lat. Misumena vatia) belongs to the family of side-walking spiders (Thomisidae). Color varies from completely 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), and is 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 those caught in its “embraces” and.

Grammostola pulchra (lat. Grammostola Pulchra)- a variety that is natural environment lives only in Uruguay and the southern regions of Brazil. A rather massive spider, reaching a size of 8-11 cm, with a dark color and a characteristic “metallic” sheen of hairs. In nature, it prefers to live among the roots of plants, but almost never digs its own burrows. Pulhra often becomes a pet among connoisseurs of exotic pets.

Argiope Brünnich or wasp spider (lat. Argiope bruennichi) – a spider with an unusual coloring of the body and limbs - yellow, black and white stripes, for which it received its name. True, the male wasp spiders are not so bright, and they are smaller in size than the females: the “young ladies” reach a size of 2.5 cm, and together with the legs - 4 cm, but the male rarely grows more than 7 mm in length. The species is widespread in Europe, Asia and southern Russia, the Volga region and North Africa. The Argiope spider lives in meadows with an abundance of grass, on the edges of forests. The web of the argiope is very strong, so it is difficult to tear it, it will only stretch under pressure.

Hunter bordered (lat. Dolomedes fimbriatus) widespread on the Eurasian continent and found along the shores of bodies of water with standing or very slowly flowing water. Often settles in swampy meadows, shady forests or gardens with high humidity. The body length of the female edge hunter varies from 14 to 22 mm, the male is smaller and rarely larger than 13 mm. The color of spiders of this species is usually yellowish-brown or almost black, with light yellow or white stripes on the sides of the abdomen.

(lat. Lycosa tarantula)- a species of spider belonging to the family of wolf spiders (lat. Lycosidae). It lives in the vast expanses of Southern Europe: it is often found in Italy and Spain, and digs burrows half a meter deep in Portugal. The size of the tarantula is impressive - up to 7 cm in length, individuals are usually colored red, less often - brown, with several transverse stripes on the body light color and one longitudinal.

Spiny orb-weaving spider or "horned spider"(lat. Gasteracantha cancriformis) distributed in the tropics and subtropics, in the southern part of the USA, Central America, the Philippines, and Australia. The size of the female is 5-9 mm, the width reaches 10-13 mm. Males are 2-3 mm long. The legs of the spiny spider are short, and there are 6 spines along the edges of the abdomen. The color of the spider is very bright: white, yellow, red, black. On the abdomen there is a pattern of black dots.

Peacock spider(lat. Maratus volans). This spider comes in all sorts of colors: red, blue, light blue, green, yellow. The coloring of females is paler. An adult reaches a size of 4-5 mm. Males attract females with their beautiful outfit. The peacock spider lives in Australia - in Queensland and New South Wales.

Smiling spider (lat. Theridion grallator) or a spider with a happy face is completely harmless to humans. This unusual spider lives in the Hawaiian Islands. Its body length is 5 mm. The color of the spider can be varied - pale, yellow, orange, blue. This species feeds on small fish, and the bright color of the individual helps confuse enemies, especially birds.

Black Widow (lat. Latrodectus mactans)- This is a very dangerous and poisonous species of spider. It lives in Australia, North America, and is also found in Russia. The size of females reaches 1 cm, males are much smaller. The body of the black widow is black, and on the abdomen there is a characteristic red spot in the form hourglass. Males are brown with white stripes. The bite is deadly.

Karakurt (lat. Latrodectus tredecimguttatus)- This is a type of deadly poisonous spider from the black widow genus. The female karakurt has a size of 10-20 mm, the male is much smaller and has a size of 4-7 mm. On the belly of this scary spider There are 13 red spots. In some varieties, the spots have borders. Some mature individuals are devoid of spots and have a completely black shiny body. Lives in Kyrgyzstan, in Astrakhan region, in the countries of Central Asia, in the south of Russia, Ukraine, in the Black Sea and Azov regions, in the south of Europe, in North Africa. Karakurt was also spotted in the Saratov region, Volgograd region, Orenburg region, Kurgan region, and in the south of the Urals.

Spiders live everywhere and are found in all corners globe. They do not live only in areas where the surface of the earth is hidden under an ice shell all year round. The number of species in countries with humid and hot climates is greater than in temperate or cold ones. With the exception of a few species, spiders are ground dwellers and live in built nests or burrows, being active at night.

Tarantula spiders and other species of mygalomorph spiders live in the crowns of equatorial trees and shrubs. “Drought-resistant” species of spiders prefer burrows, ground crevices and any shelter at ground level. For example, digger spiders (atypical tarantulas) live in colonies, settled in individual burrows located at a depth of up to 50 cm. Some species of mygalomorphic spiders close their burrows with special flaps made of soil, vegetation and silk.

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, while hunting, “spit” sticky saliva, thereby attracting prey to themselves - beetles and orthoptera, and some species are able to drag them into their home 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

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 get enough and plant foods, which can include 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.

Until 1980, attempts to successfully breed tarantulas were almost unknown. There is information about the receipt of offspring from a female fertilized in nature by William Baerg, but nothing more. And here is the first major, recorded case in the reproduction of A. W. McKee (1984). Currently, Tarantulas are bred in many countries of the world, including Russia.
Here is a list of species of bred Tarantulas by the authors of this site: Lasiodora parahybana (Rogov E.), Lasiodora cristata (Sergeev A., Chernov D.), Psalmopoeus cambridgei (Bagaturov M., Sergeev A.), Haplopelma lividum (from a female fertilized in nature) (Bagaturov M.), Stromatopelma calceatum (Rogov E.), Brachypelma albopilosum (Bagaturov M., Sergeev A.), Acanthoscurria geniculata (Rogov E), Poecilotheria fasciata (Rogov E).
How can you successfully get offspring from a Tarantula?
1) First of all, you need to have a sexually mature female and a male. Regarding the male, everything is clear here; as soon as tibial hooks and bulbs appeared on the spider during the last molt, this means that this individual is an adult. But regarding the female, not everything is so simple. You need to focus either on the age or size of the spider. All this is naturally not accurate. Even a small female can be sexually mature due to the delay in development. It is known that if a spider is kept on a diet and in a (relatively) cold room, its growth slows down. Having shed, the tarantula practically does not increase in size. You can count molts, but this is also inaccurate; now there is practically no information about sexual maturity in relation to the number of molts. What to do then, how to determine whether you have an adult female or not? There is only one way out, just plant the male and observe the behavior of the female (more on this a little later). I would also like to add that the female reaches sexual maturity from 1.5 years to three or more, depending on the species. The average period of sexual maturity for males is from one year to 1.5-2.
2) You need to have not just a sexually mature male, but one capable of fertilization. Having shed in the last time a male individual will naturally not be able to mate immediately. Some time after the last molt, the male weaves a so-called sperm web, it can be various shapes, most often this is an inclined canvas from the wall of the terrarium to the ground, between two snags, or a drinking bowl and a wall. In general, the spider will “like it.” Usually this action takes place at night, and when you approach the terrarium in the morning, you will only see the remains of this canvas, twisted into a small rope. Let me add that it is the presence of this tourniquet that is sometimes a sign that the spider has weaved a sperm web. So, the Tarantula weaves a sperm web, this takes about an hour or two. Next, he releases a drop of sperm onto her from below, for which he climbs under the canvas, with his back to the bottom. After this, he, already positioned on top, quickly moves his pedipalps (very similar to riding a bicycle :-)) and captures the sperm with the copulatory apparatus (bulbs with hooks). After this, the male is ready for fertilization and begins to look for a female. His behavior changes dramatically, he constantly moves, climbs onto the walls of the terrarium, and tries to break free. At this point, he can be placed with the female. But you can do the opposite, placing the female with the male. This is done with those species that have very aggressive behavior of the female towards the male. But usually the male sits down with the female.
In general, do not rush to mate your tarantulas. First you need to prepare a terrarium for reproduction. This could be a regular aquarium with an opening top, two or three times larger in perimeter than a regular terrarium for keeping a spider. A substrate is poured into it (it is advisable to boil it or calcine it in the oven beforehand), a shelter for the female, a drinking bowl, etc. is installed. The female is kept in it before mating until she gets used to it. A sign of this may be the arrangement of a shelter, a good appetite, etc.
Well, let's start pairing.
With non-aggressive species it is easier; we take the male with a wooden spatula or simply with our hands and place it next to the female at some distance from her. After a short period of time, let the male get used to it (a few minutes). We push him carefully towards the spider's lair. If the female is ready to mate, she either taps the ground with her paws, it looks like a drum roll, or simply spreads her chelicerae and raises her front paws up. At this moment, you need to closely monitor the behavior of the female, and distinguish between aggression or the beginning of the mating process, and be ready to save the spider at any moment. By the way, it is impossible to say for sure who will suffer more, the female or the male, in case of failure. When mating Pamphobeteus sp. The female was injured; her chelicerae were bitten. This cannot be simply explained in words, just watch your pets and draw conclusions about their behavior in different situations. I would also like to add about the behavior of the male before mating. He can circle around the female, performing a kind of dance, tapping paws on the ground, shaking the whole body, etc., different types, different behavior. Next, the male slips the hooks on his front legs under the female’s fangs; in order to protect himself from them, he inserts a pointed bulb (bulb) of first one, then the other pedipalp into the gap located between the two upper lungs. This is the moment of copulation. After this, the male usually quickly runs away so as not to be eaten by the female. In principle, in captivity you can ensure that the female will never be able to eat her chosen one, you just need to intervene in time. Another little tip, before mating, feed the female to her fullest.
With aggressive species everything is more complicated. For example, I put Plastic container with the male directly into the terrarium with the female. Or I simply move two terrariums together, after opening the lids. Experiment, and then share with us your experience in breeding Tarantulas. Here are some photos of Haplopelma schmidti mating.
You can mate Tarantulas more than once; for example, I mated the genus Brachypelma about 5-7 times. But Acanthoscurria geniculata mated once, and then did not allow the male to approach.
Having a successful mating does not mean that the female will make a cocoon. Spermatozoa are stored in a special organ - the spermatheca (This is the saucer with which you can distinguish a female from a male by molting). If everything is fine (keeping conditions, time of year, etc., etc.), the female fertilizes the eggs in the abdomen and subsequently weaves a cocoon. This could happen in a month, or maybe in half a year.
Before building a cocoon, the female’s behavior changes; she can constantly dig up the substrate; if she doesn’t like something, she will try to get out of the terrarium using her fangs. But if everything goes well, she begins building a nest.