How Do Female Spiders Have Babies Without a Male?
WouterThere are several factors that influence the reproduction of spiders. The most important of these is intercourse. It is the process by which female spiders select and mate with a male. In some species, this process may take place every two to three years. Others produce hundreds of eggs in one season.
Intercourse involves the female taking a number of steps to select a mate. She chooses a male by making sounds, squeaking, shaking, and crawling. These sounds are thought to raise the odds of selecting a male with good sperm.
The female uses sperm to fertilize her eggs. She stores the sperm in receptacles in her reproductive system. Some species have several receptacles and will store sperm from different males.
The sperm travels back into the female’s genitals via an embolus. The embolus is an organ that inserts sperm into the palpal bulb.
Sperm is also deposited into the epigyne, the opening on the female’s abdomen. In some species, the epigyne is attached for four hours. During this time, the female lays a single egg sac, but in other species she will make more than one.
Some species produce sperm by releasing a copulatory organ. This organ is introduced many times to increase the number of fertilized eggs.
Female spiders can survive for up to 25 years. Some spiders lay more than a hundred eggs in a single reproductive season. Most species live in a solitary habitat. They are usually found in dense forests.
