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 such factors as seasons, temperature, humidity and habitat. Be careful! These assumptions can easily mislead you. It took too long to adapt Terafozid to existing formulas. Surprises await us, and assumptions can only serve Starting point. This requires other areas of research. All that is stated here may apply only to North American species, but not at all be true for species from Africa, Asia, etc..

Maturation

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

The duration of puberty depends very much on the type of tarantula, the sex of this 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 malnutrition can delay this process by two years or more (Baerg 1928).

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

Among individuals of the same brood, males mature much earlier than females. One of the hypotheses explaining this fact is that such maturation in different time prevents siblings from mating, and thus preserves genetic diversity.

Another hypothesis suggests that males take less time to reach full body weight, since they have less than females. The conclusion is that females take longer to develop larger reproductive organs and gain more body weight in preparation for ovulation. If this hypothesis is correct, then the avoidance of inbreeding is only a secondary phenomenon. Before the next molt, all tarantulas belonging to the same species appear more or less similar, and even after maturation, an adult female still looks very similar to 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. Tibial hooks and bulbs on pedipalps are visible.

Male Brachypelma smithi. Tibial hooks are visible on the first pair of its walking legs.

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

One of the most important transformations takes place in his 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 his pedipalps are now very complex and adapted for use as specific genital organs. The terminal segments on the pedipalps have changed from relatively simple tarsals and claws to complex secondary sex organs used to inject sperm into the female genital tract.

Sex Life

Little is known about the sexual behavior of wild tarantulas. In fact, everything we really know is the result of observations of spiders living in captivity, and such content 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

Shortly 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 that is open on both sides. But in general it can occur in one of two ways. Some varieties build it with only two open ends. Others weave it opening also from above. In this case, the male will spin inside an additional small patch from a special web (apparently, with his epiandrous glands), adjacent to the upper edge. If there is no open top, then 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 little patch. After which he will climb to the top of the web, clinging with pedipalps, first one, then the other, will stretch out through the top (if it is open), or through the open end (if the top is closed) and load his bulbs with sperm. This process is called sperm induction.

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

After "charging" his pedipalps, the male leaves the sperm web and goes looking for a female to court. During his wandering, the male is in 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 trait. Where does the male spin his first sperm web? Within his burrow before he leaves the web, or after he leaves the burrow to search for a female? The burrow seems to be a very cramped place to perform the necessary movements, but it is much safer than open space.

The male will spin several sperm webs and charge the tips of his pedipalps more than once. He is capable of mating several times during his 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 fertilize. Where does the male build additional sperm webs after he leaves his burrow? Does it prefer secluded places under a rock or other cover, or does it just stop at any place where there is an object that can be used as a vertical support, ignoring 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, whom he usually looks for, stay at home, waiting for their boyfriends. Of course, the more distances he covers, the more likely he is to find a female ready to mate. Males used to find them, moving almost two kilometers from their home (Janovski-Bell 1995).

The Taming of the Shrew

Females are detected, probably due to some senses (we can't really name them as taste or smell) and the tactics of weaving nets around their burrows (Minch 1979). Once the sperm web has been woven, the male will tap his feet very gently 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 crawl very carefully into her hole. At some point in his movement, he will come into contact with the female, and two scenarios are possible here. He can be met with an almost explosive attack. In this case, the female may pounce on him like a ferocious tiger, with bared fangs and the clear intention of having dinner instead of sex. The male should try to hastily retreat from the hole or become the main dish in the menu of his bride.

In another scenario, the female at first ignores him, behaving modestly and stubbornly seeking her favor. In this case, the male will lower his prosoma until it lies on the surface, while holding the opisthosoma high in the air. He stretches out his front legs and pedipalps towards the female and, in this position of extreme supplication, drags his body back. This ingratiating look 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 subordinate position of the body, alternately extending and pushing his pedipalps and front legs, first from the left side, then from the right, then from the left again, to maintain the interest of the female. So, step by step, they move in an unusual procession from the hole to the surface.

The courtship of araneomorphic spiders (the families Araneid, Pizorid, Saltikid and Lycozid, for example) are often very complex and bizarre. In these spiders, the male performs a small dance or plucks the web threads from the female's web in a special way, which, as it were, turns 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 freshly caught insect before mating.

Courtship among tarantulas is relatively simple and uncomplicated. Males (and sometimes females) often twitch and thump their pedipalps and legs on the ground before mating. However, it is not as difficult a dance as the Araneomorph. To date, there have been no seriously recorded attempts to determine the differences in mating rituals between different species of tarantulas. It is generally very difficult for these spiders to determine whether they are ready to mate at the moment or not. Perhaps this reminds us of who they are, and that a mistaken sign given 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 cautiously approach her. By the time he has seduced her and lured her out of hiding, she already recognizes him as a suitor and remains motionless. The male can 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 plotting anything criminal against him. In fact, the sequence of events, the exact number of all movements, and the type of prelude differ depending on the tarantula species and may be an important clue to understanding their phylogeny (Platnek 1971). However, no one has yet done really serious research on sexual behavior in these spiders.

Copulation

If the female is still passive, or if she approaches too slowly, the male carefully moves closer, 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 a willingness to mate. The male grabs her fangs with his tibial hooks in order to give a stable position to both himself and his mate. It is a mistake to assume that in this way the male makes the female immobile and, as it were, disarms her. Nothing like this! At this moment, she is just as eager for intimacy as he is. The authors have witnessed many cases where it was the female who took the initiative to start mating with the male herself! After the male has firmly grasped the fangs of the female, he pushes her prosoma back and forth. At this moment, he extends his pedipalps and gently strokes lower part 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 sulcus. This will be the actual act of copulation. After penetrating into it, the female bends sharply almost at a right angle to the male, and the latter, having emptied one pedipalp, quickly inserts and empties the other.

After copulation, the male keeps the female as far away from him as possible until he can safely unhook his front legs and screech! The female often pursues him for a short distance, but is extremely rarely determined. Although she is one of the predators he has to run from, she is usually more interested in just 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.

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

Undoubtedly, old weak males in nature become easy prey and probably therefore have a shorter life expectancy than in captivity. In West Texas, the authors collected a large collection of male tarantulas as in early spring and in the middle of April. Most of these males, judging by their emaciated appearance, were obviously survivors from the previous autumn. A small but significant proportion (perhaps one in five or six) did not appear to be emaciated or show signs of stubble loss or any physical damage.

One might surmise that in warmer areas, some species of tarantula may molt and breed much sooner than once thought. Subsequently, Brin (1996) described the mating cycle of Afonopelma anax from south Texas, in which males mature and mate with females in the very beginning of spring.

In many parts of the tropics, some tarantulas (eg the genus Avicularia) molt and breed regardless of the season due to stable temperature, humidity and food abundance (Charpentier 1992).

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

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

Motherhood

Baerg (1928) reported that wild female tarantulas living in Arkansas (for example, Aphonopelma hentzi), after laying their eggs, plug the entrances to their burrows shortly after mating and hibernate in this way. The sperm transferred by the male is carefully housed in her spermatheca until next spring. And only next spring will she spin a cocoon the size of a walnut, containing a whole thousand eggs or more. She will take care of him by carefully airing her hole and protecting him from predators. Protecting offspring, the female can be very aggressive.

Egg laying times vary greatly. Here are some of the factors that determine delay times:

1. A species of tarantula;
2. The geographical latitude of the homeland of the female tarantula;
3. The prevailing climate;
4. Hemisphere.

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

Arkansas tarantulas (Afonopelma entzi) usually lay their eggs in June or July (Baerg 1958), those from west Texas a month earlier. In captivity, exotic tarantulas may lay their eggs in early March. Apparently, this is the result of their keeping in a house in an artificial climate.

The fertilization of eggs occurs during their laying, and not during mating, as one might assume. The insemination of the female appears to serve at least two functions. This can stimulate her to produce eggs while sequestering dormant sperm in a comfortable, sheltered place until needed.

The females of most vertebrates ovulate whether or not there has been contact with a male. Chickens constantly lay eggs (fertilized or not), in humans, women undergo ovulation and monthly cycles when total absence sexual intercourse. It is not yet clear whether this also occurs in tarantulas or not. The authors kept many females that did not start producing eggs until fertilization by the male. Although sleek and slender before, they became bloated and heavy for several weeks after mating. It can be assumed that mating or the presence of viable sperm in the female's spermatheca prompted her to start producing eggs.

On the other hand, Baxter (1993) suggests that female tarantulas can produce eggs without mating. This may be due to the start of the breeding season, the abundance of food available, or even the mere proximity of a male of the respective species. The authors have many females that look extremely heavy and plump but have not mated for years. If they were full of eggs, Baxter's hypothesis would be confirmed. If they just turned out to be full of adipose tissue, the previous hypothesis would be confirmed. But the authors cannot donate 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 develop a vast repertoire of little tricks to confuse us.

With a consistent population of 150 to 450 adult tarantulas, most of them females, for over 25 years, the authors have 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 cambridgei. In a personal letter, Brin said that he had observed this phenomenon almost thirty times! We are not sure about the timing of cocoon development for most tarantulas in nature, but it certainly varies with temperature. environment and species of the spider. Somewhat more information is known about the periods of development of some varieties 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 only valid for artificial incubator conditions.

Larvae of the tarantula Afonopelma enzi emerge from cocoons in July - early August and leave their mother's burrow about a week or a little later (Baerg 1958). Shortly thereafter, the female will molt. If she does not mate in time to lay fertilized eggs, she will start shedding a little earlier, perhaps in late spring or early summer. Afonopelma anax from south Texas lays eggs in June-July and molts in August-early September (Brin 1996). Thus, once mating has occurred, the schedule for the remaining females becomes approximately the same as that of the Afonopelma entzi variety.

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



Spiders are predatory animals, so it is not in vain that they cause a special hostility in most people. However, for the rest, arthropods are considered an interesting species.

Many are interested in the peculiarities of living, feeding and breeding of spiders. Especially this interest increases after one or another arachnid appears in the house. There is also a need to study ways to get rid of insects.

A little about spiders

TO today Arachnology counted about 40 thousand varieties of arthropods. Some species can be found on the territory of Russia.

Closed spaces are unacceptable for spiders and only a few species survive in such an environment, which people have very little interest in. They do not attack or suffer harm, but people are usually alert when they find cobwebs at home.

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As already mentioned, only a few species consider enclosed spaces acceptable for living. And the list of spiders living in Russia is even smaller.

In the house you can find the following types of spiders:

  • Haymaker. A species of spider characterized by very long thin legs protruding from a small torso.
  • Gray house spider.
  • Tramp spider.
  • Black house spider. You can understand about the residence of this species by the characteristic tubular web in the corners of the apartment. The insect is quite large - its body length is 13 mm. Despite the suggestible intimidating appearance, the black spider is considered safe, but if it does bite, the attack will result in malaise, vomiting, nausea and dizziness for the victim.
  • white spiders various kinds. Only white karakurts and flower spiders live on the territory of the CIS. These species live in open nature, but if one of these climbed into the dwelling, it is better to immediately take him out. An attack by such an insect can result in the death of the bitten.

Causes of spiders in the house

The favorite habitat of arthropods is dark, damp and cool places. Therefore, dark empty houses for them are considered very convenient and comfortable for living.

Insects really like to hide under the bath, near the pipes or the toilet - in simple words where it's damp and dark. The same situation is with houses in which there is dampness or mold on the walls.

Often spiders climb into the house for profit, so if there are flies, mosquitoes or cockroaches in the dwelling, arthropods will also catch up.

Note! Another attractive factor for the cold-blooded is the unsanitary conditions of the dwelling, which insects perceive as favorable conditions for a peaceful existence.

What do spiders look like?

The collection of spiders is very simple. Their body consists of only two parts - a cephalothorax and abdomen, which are connected by a thin stalk.

The cephalothorax divides the groove, forming the head and chest parts. And the first part of the spider has a mouth hole for sucking.

The first pairs of legs emerge from the head part, three more pairs from the chest of the predator.

How many legs do spiders have?

Despite the differences in species, taste preferences and external differences, one characteristic is unchanged - all spiders have 8 legs.

The paws perform many receptor functions:

  • with such tools, insects get the opportunity to smell;
  • navigate in space;
  • keep on various surfaces;
  • with the same tools, arthropods find food and feel the approaching danger.

Note! So the paws of the cold-blooded and instead of the nose, and instead of hearing, and instead of hands, and even instead of intuition.

On the territory of the Russian Federation, due to strict climatic conditions, only a few species of spiders live.

Not all of them penetrate houses, and more often they can be found only in forests, steppes and other open areas. But not all of them are friendly, some can bite a person, thereby signing his death warrant.

  • Serebryanka is considered the first most common species in Russia. This is the only species of arachnid that can live on and under water. You can meet an insect in swampy areas, but the meeting is unlikely to be pleasant, since this type of spider is very poisonous.
  • Cross spiders often hide in trees, bushes and clearings. Such representatives of arthropods are often found if you look for temperate climates (cold and intense heat are unacceptable for them). Despite the frightening cross on the abdomen, this species is not dangerous.
  • The desert and steppe regions of the country are considered a favorite habitat for South Russian Tarantulas, one of the most poisonous species in Russia. If you find a tarantula hole, it will definitely attack and bite.
  • House spiders are found in many apartments, and their webs can often be seen in the bathroom or kitchen.
  • For most of the country, knitting spiders are not uncommon, although they are difficult to see, as insects are well camouflaged and constantly hide from people. Knitters do not pose any danger to people.
  • Jumping spiders are small jumping animals. This species loves glass surfaces, on which it most often overtakes the victim.
  • The Black Widow or Karakurt is considered the most dangerous and poisonous spider on Russian territory. This species is very aggressive and poisonous, after the bite of a black widow, many did not survive. Astrakhan and Orenburg regions, as well as the North Caucasus, are considered the habitat of the karakurt.

Are spiders insects or animals?

In fact, apart from resemblance spiders have nothing more to do with insects. These are predatory animals that appeared on the planet several hundred years before the appearance of any beetles and mosquitoes.

In addition, spiders have a couple of legs more, they can weave a web, and their body consists of only two parts. Insects, on the other hand, are more complexly assembled, are considered omnivores and do not spin webs. For spiders, they are just food.

What do spiders eat?

Spiders are considered predators, although different species have different dietary preferences:

  • Spiders mainly feed on insects. For example, home species like flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, moths and others. But street predators prefer to eat crickets, worms, grasshoppers and various larvae.
  • Predators that prefer to live in burrows feed on beetles, orthopterans, worms and even snails.
  • Night-hunting spiders, such as night queens, prefer moths or their cocoons.
  • Exotic species like large-scale prey. For example, tarantulas love small rodents and small birds. And the Brazilian tarantula can swallow a snake or a small snake.
  • Aquatic arthropods feed on small fish, tadpoles and other living creatures.
  • The only species of cold-blooded, who do not want to eat living creatures, is considered to be jumping spiders. For him, the best delicacy is pollen, leaf pulp and cereals.

Note! Due to such different taste preferences, spiders hunt in different ways.

Predators get food in two ways:

  1. By weaving a web, with the help of which the victim is immobilized and attracted to himself. The insect is treated with a special juice, and then swallowed.
  2. By way of getting sticky saliva on the pretender to become dinner. Predators pick up the saliva and eat the prey.

How do spiders give birth?

Male spiders are extremely rare in nature. They fill themselves with sperm and go in search of a suitable female. When the one is found, the male spider will have to take care of her in every possible way, give food and dance ritual enticing dances on the web.

In the presence of competitors, predators will have to fight for the attention of the female. The winners end up staying with the female, while the losers mate with other males. But who is more fortunate is not clear, because after mating, the female can eat her lover and only flight can save him.

In most cases, females prefer virgin self-fertilization and do not need males at all.

Note! There are species of arthropods for which such behavior is considered wild. They live in families, sharing the responsibilities of reproduction, food production and common residence.

Are house spiders dangerous to humans?

One house spider is not dangerous to humans. But if there are more than a hundred of them, you still have to exterminate them.

Such species are usually poisonous, but a bite for large individuals cannot be harmful to health. Usually, the lesions are treated with a standard antiseptic, and this area heals quickly.

Note! In addition, they attack extremely rarely, since the inhabitants of the apartment large sizes are perceived by them as excessive sources of danger, from which arthropods simply run away and hide.

Should spiders be exterminated?

If there are a lot of spiders, this cannot but cause thoughts of extermination. In addition, such predators are considered a sign of poor sanitation or the presence of a large number of insects, so both cold-blooded animals and the cause of their occurrence will have to be disposed of.

How to get rid of spiders in the house?

There are many ways to get rid of spiders. But before trying one or another way to eliminate predators, you will have to thoroughly clean the apartment.

Take off the web, wash everything well and try to clean the favorite places of spiders under the bathroom or behind the kitchen pipes. After that, try to remove cockroaches and mosquitoes, which will deprive the spiders of food.

Usually, after such events, arachnids themselves disappear, but if this does not happen, effective chemicals or resort to folk methods fight against arachnids.

Chemicals

For total extermination spiders, you can purchase a special aerosol Bros. During spraying, poisonous active compounds fall on the spider and begin to affect it. nervous system. The predator stops eating and weaving a web, after a while it stops moving and dies.

The spray has a long duration, after processing the premises, the spiders die within 3 months.

Note! It is good to use universal means for the extermination of both predators and insects, for example, Joker Boone aerosol. After spraying, mosquitoes, goosebumps, flies, cockroaches and spiders die.

Folk ways

  1. Plants. Often people use the fruits of horse chestnut, which repel spiders and other insects. For the same purpose, nuts or orange maclura are hidden around the apartment.
  2. Essential oil. Insects and spiders do not tolerate the smell of mint, so the essential oil based on such a plant can be diluted with water and sprayed with small pests. Soon all unwanted guests will leave the premises.
  3. Solution with vinegar or lemon. The acidity of vinegar and lemon is detrimental to spiders, so they are used as a component of a solution with water. With the resulting liquid, they wash the floors, the refrigerator, wipe cabinets and doors. Jars with such a liquid are placed under the bath and behind the toilet.

Spider signs

Despite the fact that there are a lot of methods of getting rid of folk remedies, grandmothers and great-grandmothers say that spiders cannot be killed. In the old days, such domestic residents were considered harbingers of happiness and good luck.

Spider notes:

  • If a brown spider descended on your head, you should expect the unexpected appearance of money.
  • A black descending spider has long been considered a harbinger of bad news.
  • Red spiders, which were seen on clothes, were also considered harbingers of unexpected profits.
  • Brown spiders on outerwear hinted at the appearance of a new thing.
  • If a spider crawled up the arm, a person should make an important decision.
  • A spider falling on a web hinted at the appearance of an enemy.
  • If the spider, on the contrary, crawls up, it means that long-awaited guests will come to the house.

In addition, great-grandfathers believed that by catching an arthropod, they bring money to the house. And the gypsies specially caught spiders and planted them in a nut for the fulfillment of desires.

Prevention measures

The main guarantee of the absence of spiders in the house is cleanliness. Predators do not like it, as dirty and dark places with high humidity are acceptable to them. Therefore, it is imperative to carry out general cleaning and if a cobweb appears in the corners, immediately sweep it away, because arthropods do not like to be disturbed and leave such houses.

Food is best stored wrapped in cling film or in containers. Then there will be no spiders or midges in the house.

You should get rid of various insects, if the predators have nothing to eat, they will not settle in the apartment.

Note! Spiders amazing creatures. They have their taste preferences, methods of catching prey, and even mating customs. Although for the most part such predators are not dangerous for people, after they appear in the house, it is better to get rid of them and think about the cleanliness of the apartment and the extermination of other insects.

- these are animals that since ancient times have caused both interest and fear in people. Each spider is interesting for its unique features of living, obtaining food, and reproduction.

In this article, we will cover these topics, consider the causes of the appearance of cobwebs in our homes and study effective ways breeding spiders.

A little about spiders

Today on our planet there is about 40 thousand species of spiders. Only a few of them live in Russia. For the most part, they live in open nature, but quite often they appear in people's homes.

In fact, live in conditions enclosed space only a few species can. Spiders and cobwebs in the house often scare people, and you should understand that these arthropods are not interested in people, they are afraid of them and will never attack first.

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Black and white house spiders

The most common domestic spider species are:

  • haymaker, which has a small body and very long legs, reaching a length of 5 cm.
  • Gray house spider.
  • Tramp.
  • Black house spider. They live in the house and weave a tubular web in the corners, which is a serious trap for its victims. They are quite large in size, their length is about 13 mm. They bite a person extremely rarely, but if this happens, it is very unpleasant and painful, since it can cause such consequences as allergies, swelling, vomiting, dizziness and general malaise of the bitten.
  • white spiders come in various species and live in various countries. So, for example, in the southern part of Russia, as well as in the countries of the Middle East, you can meet Karakut. Africa is home to the White Lady. IN North America, southern part of Europe, Japan and Russia there is a "flower spider" white color. White spiders are rarely found in the house, they usually live in nature, in the garden, in the garden, in the forest, and their bite is the most dangerous for humans, and can even be fatal.

Many spider lovers keep them on purpose to add an exotic touch to their home, and they can also be classified as domestic. The most famous white spider among such pets is white-haired tarantula.

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What do spiders look like?

Each type of spider looks unique. Exotic spiders that live in terrariums tend to catch the eye with their impressive size, fleecy surface and bright colors.

Domestic spiders look more modest:

  • So, for example, a haymaker spider has a small body and very long legs, reaching a length of 5 cm.
  • Black spiders - black or dark gray, about 13 mm in size.
  • Gray spiders are very similar to black ones, having the same dimensions.
  • The tramp spider is brown and light brown in color, having an elongated abdomen and long legs.

Many types of spiders differ in their speed of movement, web, search for food, appearance, but the number of legs is the same for all - there are 8 of them.

The limbs of spiders differ in size and cover, but their main functions are inherent in all types of arthropods:

  1. Legs are the means of transportation for spiders. Someone has the ability to move by jumping, someone uses lateral walking, someone runs on water, and some change locations by stomping loudly.
  2. The limbs are carriers of many receptors: smell, touch, balance. They help spiders recognize danger, find food.
  3. The function of the paws is to weave a web. Thanks to this ability, spiders have the opportunity to get food.
  4. Spider parents with tentacles hold and move their cocoon to another place. It is for these purposes that spiders have this a large number of limbs that simultaneously serve them as hands, nose, vision and even the so-called "sixth sense".

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Types of spiders in Russia

There are quite a few varieties of spiders in Russia, the most common among them are:

  1. Serebryanka- this is the only species that lives on the water and under it. The habitat is swampy water bodies of Russia. Refers to poisonous spiders.
  2. Spider-cross living in temperate climate, on grass and branches of bushes and trees. It has a cross-shaped pattern at the top of the abdomen. Not dangerous to humans.
  3. South Russian tarantula- lives in the semi-desert and steppe regions of Russia, lives in burrows. It is a poisonous and dangerous species of spiders for humans.
  4. house spiders living closely with a person and safe for him. Weave a web in the most inconspicuous corners of the room.
  5. Spider knitter, which has the ability to disguise itself and become invisible. Refers to non-poisonous representatives of arachnids.
  6. jumping spider- jumping small spider. It has the ability to climb glass and capture its prey without the help of a web.
  7. H black widow (karakut)- the most dangerous type of spider for humans. Lives in Astrakhan and Orenburg region, as well as in the North Caucasus.

Are spiders insects or animals?

Many people are interested in this question, some people believe that spiders are insects, however, this is not so.

Spiders belong to the class Arachnida and belong to a species of animal, not insects, despite the incredible resemblance to the latter. Arachnids were born 300 million years before insects.

Both of these species formed separate classes that have clear differences:

  • Insects: have 6 legs, belong to the class of insects such as arthropods, for the most part they are omnivorous creatures. The main divisions of the structure of insects: head, chest, abdomen, wings.
  • Spiders have 8 legs, belong to the class of arachnids, the type of arthropods, are very selective in food, born hunters. It consists of only two sections - the abdomen, from which the paws grow, and the cephalothorax, on which the spider's oral apparatus is located. Has the ability to weave a web.

What do spiders eat?

Spiders, despite their small size, consume a large amount of food, however, they may not eat. for a long time- from a month to a year. An interesting fact is that in a year the mass of food eaten by spiders exceeds the amount of food consumed by all people in the world.

Each species of spider has its own ways of obtaining food:

  1. Creating traps using web weaving. Caught prey is processed by digestive juice, corroding it from the inside, after which the spider swallows it.
  2. Search for food by spitting out sticky saliva, which allows you to attract food to yourself.

What do spiders eat:

  1. The main diet of both street and domestic spiders are insects. Spiders in a private house feed on flies, mosquitoes, crickets, butterflies, mealworms, cockroaches, grasshoppers, woodlice larvae. Read the answer to the question for more details.
  2. Spiders living in burrows or on the surface of the soil love to feast on beetles, orthopterans, and even snails and earthworms.
  3. Some species hunt at night. So, for example, the queen spider creates a trap for moths at night.
  4. Exotic spiders, due to their impressive size, choose for themselves more big booty. So, tarantulas prefer to hunt frogs, lizards, other spiders, mice, and even small birds. A brazilian tarantula able to catch and eat medium-sized snakes and snakes.
  5. Spiders living on the water are caught with the help of a web of tadpoles, small fish or midges floating on the surface of the water.
  6. Some spiders use vegetable world: pollen, plant leaves, cereal grains.

How do spiders give birth?

By nature, sexually mature males differ significantly from females in their small size, bright colors, and short life span. They are found in nature, as a rule, they are much rarer.

In some species of spiders, males are not found at all. It is believed that the female spider has the ability to develop eggs virgin, therefore, can breed offspring without even being fertilized.

The male independently fills the genitals with sperm and goes in search of the female. Some species of spiders bring a gift to the "lady of the heart" - an insect, as attention and approval by her. Males try their best to care so as not to be eaten by the female. They perform a wedding dance - the rhythmic movement of their paws along their own web.

Some types of spiders fight on the female's web, while others mate with males. Many males, in order to avoid the threat from the female, mate at the moment she has experienced a molt, while she is still helpless. Indeed, often a fertilized spider strives to eat its partner. Sometimes the male manages to escape.

Some types of spiders create families: they live in the same nest, raise offspring, share prey. There are cuckoo spiders that toss their cocoons into the nests of other relatives.

The female spider can breed at a time up to 200,000 children. Such incredibly large offspring can bring both large and very tiny species of spiders. Spider eggs go through two molts before reaching the adult stage.

An interesting fact is that spiders have the ability to independently cause their birth in the case of sick or weak offspring.

How long do spiders live?

The life expectancy of spiders depends primarily on their species. Most spiders have many enemies and rarely live to a natural death.

Spider lifespan:

  • So, some live only a couple of months, while others can live for several years. Moreover, about six months is spent on the egg stage.
  • The life cycle of males ends much faster than the cycle of spiders. Subject to comfortable living, males live only two years, but females can live up to ten years.

There are also such records:

  • Some female tarantulas can live for over twenty years.
  • Spiders of the genus Sicarius living in South America and Africa can live up to 15 years.
  • Some tarantulas can live twenty years.
  • It is clear that spider species that are pets of humans and live in captivity have more long life. History knows cases when such spiders lived up to thirty years.

Are house spiders dangerous to humans?

All spiders are naturally venomous, but the dose of venom from domestic spiders is not significant for humans. Therefore, in case of a bite, which is extremely rare, you just need to treat this place with an antiseptic. They can be dangerous only for people suffering from arachnophobia (fear of arachnids).

There are benefits from several individuals living in an apartment, because they destroy insects, which, as a rule, cause discomfort and pose a danger to people. Of course, if spiders are found on every corner, this creates a feeling of aesthetic rejection and unsanitary conditions in the house, so they should be removed.

How to get rid of spiders in the house?

In order to completely forget about the spiders in your apartment, you must use the following measures to combat spiders:

  1. Create a clean living environment. Spiders are very afraid of cleanliness, so regular and thorough cleaning of the premises can bring out such tenants. Special attention should be given to the most secluded corners: the back walls of furniture, the bottom of the beds, the ceiling and walls.
  2. Use special preparations from spiders: aerosols, crayons, gels, as well as ultrasonic. Such chemicals as Butox-50, Tarax, Neoron have proven themselves well.
  3. Make repairs in the house. Spiders cannot stand the smell of wallpaper paste, paint and whitewash.
  4. Use folk remedies , they are safer and proven over the years. The best-known remedy for spiders is crushed hazelnuts, chestnut and orange, which must be spread in all corners of the house. The smell of these fruits is unbearable for spiders.
  5. Limit the access of spiders to your apartment: cover all cracks and cracks around windows and doors, check the window mesh, walls, sewers for holes, and eliminate them.
  6. It is necessary to call the appropriate specialists, if they are unable to cope with the invasion of spiders.

It must be remembered that the most effective method destruction is complex.

Causes of spiders in the house

Spiders are very voracious animals. None of them will choose their place of residence where there is no food for them.


Therefore, before taking out such tenants, it is necessary to figure out where the spiders come from:

  1. There are a lot of insects in your apartment: midges, cockroaches, ants, flies, mosquitoes.
  2. Accessibility to the entrance. Through open windows, small cracks, flowers brought from the street, not only spiders themselves, but also insects, which these eight-legged people love so much, can get into your house.
  3. Warm temperature in the house. In autumn, spiders from the street look for a warmer place to live.
  4. Favorable humidity level.

Spider signs

Since ancient times, it has been believed that spiders have the ability to bring good or bad news. Almost every action performed by a spider, or the events in which a person met with him, have their own explanations in folk signs.

Spider notes:

  • Spider on the street. If you meet a spider in the morning, failure awaits you, in the evening - good news. Caught in a web - expect trouble.
  • Spider in the house. Saw a spider in your house - good omen, it will help you get rid of bad thoughts and avoid quarrels. If the spider runs on the table or floor, this is a move.
  • Where does it move. Creeps towards you - to profit, creeps away from you - to loss.
  • How it moves. If the spider descended on the web from the ceiling - expect an unexpected guest. A spider crawling up notifies you of good news. If a spider has landed on a person’s head, a gift should be expected, on the hand - for money.
  • Spiders and weather. If the spider folds its cobweb - to rain, hook the web with its face - to clear weather. If you see a spider weaving a web, then the weather will change.

Bad omens about spiders:

  • Crushing a spider is a deprivation of luck and health, which is why you can’t kill spiders.
  • If the spider descends the wall - to an imminent loss.
  • If the newlyweds met a spider - unfortunately in marriage.
  • If a girl saw a web above the door - to the betrayal of her partner.
  • The web near the icons - to the bad news.

If the meeting with the spider still upsets you, you should not be offended by it, since it is just a messenger of upcoming events.

Conclusion

There is a variety of types of spiders, but we can only meet a few of them in everyday life.

Spiders feed on insects, so if they are wound up in your home or garden, do not despair, as they can save you from annoying ants, bugs, mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches. In addition, these arthropods may bring you some news.

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

  • Curly-haired tarantula or Brachyrelma alborilosum- unpretentious ambush spider, leading a nocturnal lifestyle. An ideal exotic for beginners, due to its original appearance, rather large body size, as well as amazing calmness. It does not have a bright color, and the unusual appearance is due to the presence of fairly long hairs with black or white tips. The base color of the spider is brown or brownish black. The average body length is 80 mm with a paw size of 16-18 cm. The cost of an adult reaches four thousand rubles;
  • Acanthoscurria Antillensis or Asanthoscurria antillensis- a spider native to the Lesser Antilles. The species belongs to the real tarantula family. 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 coloration is represented by dark brown shades with a slight metallic sheen on the carapace. The average cost of an adult reaches 4.5 thousand rubles;
  • Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens Chromatorelma syaneopubessens- 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 coloration is represented by a combination of a reddish-orange abdomen, bright blue limbs and a green carapace. A hardy species that can go without food for several months. The average cost of an adult reaches 10-11 thousand rubles;
  • crassiсrus lamanai- a species that is safe for humans, characterized by the presence of expanded joints in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe fourth leg in females. The main coloration of the adult male is black. The body size of the male is up to 3.7 cm and the carapace is 1.6x1.4 cm. Sexually mature females are much larger than males and their body length reaches 7 cm with a leg span of 15 cm. Adult females are painted mainly in brown tones. The average cost of an adult reaches 4.5 thousand rubles;
  • cyclosternum fasciatum- one of the smallest tropical view The tarantula is native to Costa Rica. The maximum leg span of an adult is 10-12 cm with a body length of 35-50 mm. The body color is dark brown with a noticeable reddish tint. The cephalothorax is colored in reddish or brown shades, 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 fans of domestic exotics are such types of spiders as Cyriosmus bertae, Grammostola golden-striped and pink, poisonous Terafoza blondi.

Important! It is strongly 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 Australian spiders and releases a neurotoxic venom, so the owner of such an exotic should always have an antidote on hand.

Where and how to keep a domestic spider

Sedentary spiders with a lack of 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 for filling the home.

We select a terrarium

In too voluminous terrariums filled with big amount decor elements, such an exotic can be easily lost. It is also important to remember that many species are unable to get along with their neighbors, therefore, for example, tarantulas should be kept alone.

A terrarium house will become cozy for a spider, optimal dimensions which is two lengths of the maximum span of the legs. As practice shows, even the largest specimens feel great in a dwelling measuring 40 × 40 cm or 50 × 40 cm.

By their own design features terrariums are horizontal for terrestrial species and burrowing exotics, as well as vertical for tree spiders. In the manufacture of 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 it is 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. Coconut dry substrate or ordinary peat crumb mixed with sphagnum moss is also very well suited 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 temperature range within 22-28 ° C will be optimal. As practice shows, a slight and short-term decrease in temperature is not capable of harming spiders, but one should not abuse the endurance of such exotics;
  • despite the fact that spiders are predominantly nocturnal, they should not be limited in the light. As a rule, to create comfortable conditions, it is quite enough to have natural light in the room, but without direct sunlight on the container;
  • as a shelter for burrowing spider species, special “houses” are used from pieces of bark or coconut shell. Also, for the purpose of decorating the interior space, various decorative driftwood or artificial vegetation can be used.

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

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

Terrarium safety

A terrarium for a spider must be completely safe, both for the most exotic pet and for others. It is especially important to observe 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 cover. It is impossible to acquire too high a capacity for terrestrial spider species, otherwise the exotic may fall from a considerable height and receive a life-threatening rupture of the abdomen.

To ensure sufficient ventilation for the life of the spider, it is necessary to make perforations in the form of small and numerous holes in the cover 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 polluting the home are also removed from the terrarium. The diet should be as close as possible to the nutrition of the spider in natural, natural conditions. The standard serving size is about a third of the size of the exotic itself.

This is interesting! The drinker is installed in terrariums in adults and can be represented by an ordinary saucer, slightly pressed into the substrate at the bottom of the container.

Spider lifespan 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:

  • asanthoscurria antillensis - about 20 years;
  • chromatorelma cyaneorubessens - males live an average of 3-4 years, and females - up to 15 years;
  • tiger spider - up to 10 years;
  • red-backed spider - 2-3 years;
  • common argiope - no more than a year.

The number of centenarians among spiders deservedly includes the female Archonorelma, average duration whose life is three decades.

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

All living things from an egg. The spider is also from there. The spider embryo, highly segmented (like its distant marine ancestors), lies on the yolk of the egg directly under its shell. Then all its segments merge together, and the spider embryo acquires its typical appearance: an abdomen without segments and an eight-eyed cephalothorax with chelicerae, pedipalps and eight legs in front.

When it grows up and fills the whole egg with itself, the shell of the egg bursts or the spider tears it with its so-called egg tooth, which temporarily and specially for this (like in chickens) grows at the base of each pedipalp in the embryos of some spiders.

A newborn baby spider patiently waits in a burst "shell" for the first molt. He is still helpless, colorless and naked - without hair and bristles (in most species). Can't weave a web, and can't eat either. But this, judging by its appearance, is an almost ready-made spider, and not a larva, as in some insects. True, much of it is still underdeveloped - eyes, chelicerae, poisonous and spider glands. Therefore, newly born spiders are called, like young dragonflies, nymphs or even pre-nymphs.

The spider feeds in the first days of its life with yolk stored for future use in the abdomen. Soon he sheds his infantile "skin", in which he is already cramped. When dropped, it grows rapidly until its new chitinous shell (already hairy and colored!) Is still soft and stretched. And when it hardens, the spider must wait until a new molt with growth: its hard skin-skeleton is not distributed either in length or in thickness.

He now knows how to weave a web, but for a few more days or months (if the weather is bad or the season is not suitable) he hides in the “shell” of the egg that gave birth to him; only a few spiderlings quickly and permanently leave it.

When this happens, the threads of life of the spiders diverge in different ways: for each, as it has long been established in their family. Alone (crosses), having gathered close company, bask in the sun for a long time. Others (tarantulas and wolf spiders) climb onto the mother spider's back and travel while sitting on her. And the mother, when the time comes, then here and there she throws them off one by one, picking up her back leg. So he settles his offspring in new places so that the spiders in cramped conditions do not starve.

Young crosses, just emerging from eggs, huddled together, bask in the sun.

Newborn spiderlings of the segestria spend their first days of life in burrows dug for them by their mother, and pizaurs under spider web tents woven by a spider. Hunger does not torment the eight-eyed: to pacify it, there are enough reserves of yolk in the abdomen.

Some spiderlings feed spiderlings from their mouths. Others even give them to eat their own body, very prudently dying in a mink just when the spiders want to eat.

However, usually spiders do not feed spiderlings with anything. And those, when the appetite speaks imperiously in them, must themselves take care of its satisfaction. Then the spiders crawl slowly along the cobwebs, then along the leaves and stems.

For others, this journey into a world of self-reliance begins with an exhilarating journey through the air. "Aeronautics" is the privilege and ability of more than one particular group of spiders. Different types from different families and different dispositions have adapted to soar in the sky. The day-parade of the web "aviation" with the most massive number of participants celebrates nature on warm sunny days Indian summer, Countless squadrons of spiders silently, but visibly, then start from the hushed bushes and yellowed grasses of autumn meadows.

Spider-wolves, whose mothers quickly run through fields and gardens with white cocoons under their belly, when they hatch from these cocoons, fly away on cobwebs, where the wind will carry them. Spiders-side walkers deftly jump through the flowers and front, back, and side forward. They do not weave nets: they catch flies in a swoop. But their spiderlings rush into the future also on gossamer gliders. Some spiders and many other spiders travel in autumn or spring on flying filaments.

But how many, how many families of spiders take part in this at least partially? autumn festival aeronautics, not exactly established.