Can Spiders Plant Eggs in Human Skin?
WouterSpiders don’t lay eggs under human skin. Instead, they find it unfeasible to do so. But there are several examples of bugs and insects that do burrow under the skin.
One of the most common ways is through a tiny bug known as a tick. These bugs look like spiders, but are much smaller. They have eight legs and a round body. If hungry, they may even go as small as a pin head.
Another bug that can get under the skin is a fruit fly. This fly-like insect burrows into the tissue of a host for up to ten weeks. Once it’s full, it can look a lot like a marble.
The spiders that do plant their eggs in human skin aren’t exactly parasites. They are just good mothers. Some female spiders have a knack for laying a few hundred eggs. Their larvae then stay inside the egg sac until it hatches.
Probably the best way to know if a bug is planting its eggs under your skin is to take a close look. When a spider lays its egg, the egg sac is usually wrapped in silk. Depending on the spider, you can remove the egg by touching it with a paper towel or by placing it in a container.
The European cobweb spider has a clever trick for regulating the temperature of its egg sac. It constructs a thimble-shaped structure that allows it to regulate its own internal temperature.
