How Cold Can Spiders Tolerate?
WouterSpiders can survive temperatures as low as -5 Celsius. These cold-blooded invertebrates produce glycols and other special compounds in their bodies, which help them to resist freezing. Some species overwinter in egg sacs or burrow underground.
Other spiders seek shelter in leaf litter or rock piles. They may even hunker down under tree bark. However, these creatures often die in the winter. Some can survive months without food.
In extreme cold, some species of spiders enter a state of dormancy. They produce an antifreeze compound in their blood. This prevents water from expanding inside the ice, which could damage the cell walls. When the weather warms up, the spiders emerge.
Another way that spiders adapt to cold weather is to use a special antifreeze chemical, which prevents ice crystals from forming inside their body. This chemical, known as polyhydroxy alcohol, helps spiders maintain a constant temperature around 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some spiders, such as the Joro spider, can survive in temperatures as low as minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit. Other spiders, such as fishing spiders, can overwinter in webs that don’t heat up the spider. These spiders are found only in Georgia and South Carolina.
Several species of spiders also enter a “diapause” stage when the weather begins to cool. When the weather begins to warm up, these spiders will begin to hunt. Unlike other animals, though, they will not shiver.
Some spiders, including the fishing spider, hibernate under bark or rock piles. They are protected by their webs.
