Do Spiders Have Live Young?
WouterSpiders don’t give birth to their young. Instead they lay eggs. The eggs can be different sizes, colors and textures. Some spiders lay hundreds of eggs at a time, while others only lay a few. Most of the time, they are protected from predators until their babies hatch.
Most spiders have a life cycle that includes an egg and spiderling. Depending on the species, they may take up to nine years to become sexually mature. Some may even have to overwinter in an egg sac, making them immature for a long period of time.
Female spiders care for their baby spiderlings. They may feed them by regurgitating food or catching bugs. They also help the baby spiderlings get to food sources.
As they grow, the baby spiderlings shed their skins. They then tether themselves with silk threads. They stick to the mother’s body for protection and for food. When the baby spiderlings are ready to leave the egg-sac, they climb a tree or high place.
After a couple of days, the baby spiders begin to line up at the mother’s birth canal to suckle. They continue to supplement their diet with the milk from the mother until they are sexually mature.
As the spiderlings mature, they molt several times. They then grow into adults. They are small and pale in color. They also have tiny fangs. They often stay inside the egg-sac until they are ready to leave.
The female wolf spider lays hundreds of eggs in a circular egg sack. The mother then rips open the egg sac with its mouth parts. The young spiderlings then leave the egg-sac and climb up the mother’s body.
