How Fast Spiders Grow
WouterThe length of time that spiders live depends on the species. Some have a life span of just a year while others may live up to twenty years.
Some spiders can lay a large number of eggs. For example, female common house spiders can lay up to 4,000 eggs. These eggs are carried in a silk sac. Some species carry their egg sac in chelicerae (the openings on their legs) while others deposit the eggs in their web.
Some spiders develop their egg sacs over the course of several months. Some even wait for cooler weather before hatching. The eggs will be dispersed by ballooning. This allows the spider to colonize distant habitats.
After developing the egg sac, a spider will begin to molt. Each moult is about 20% larger than the previous one. Some tarantulas must molt up to twenty times before they become fully grown.
Most spiders grow to full size in a few months. However, some species grow to a much smaller size. Theraphosids (a family of spiders) can reach full maturity after about five to seven years. Generally, smaller species have a shorter lifespan.
The fastest invertebrate is the giant house spider. This three-inch spider has a speed of half a metre per second. It can also be found in dark corners of homes during autumn.
A baby spider does not have a feeding routine. Instead, they grow in stages, or instars. When they first emerge from their egg sac, they are unable to produce silk. They will then eat as they are hungry. They are protected from predators by their mother.
