How Much Do Spiders Grow?
WouterArachnids, including spiders, eat a lot of insects. They may also fall prey to predators. Depending on the species, some spiders can live up to a year or more. Some, like tarantulas, can live for up to 30 years.
As well as having eight legs, spiders also have a hard external skeleton. It provides protection and support and helps them move around. Spiders have an abdomen that contains glands for silk production and a digestive system. They also have fangs.
During their lives, spiders have many moults. Each moult allows the spider to grow. Each moult also gives the spider new exoskeleton. The exoskeleton is made up of two layers. The hard outer layer is used for protection and support and the inner elastic layer helps the spider to move. The inner elastic layer is not hardened and is broken down as the spider grows.
The discarded exoskeleton is called exuvium. After the exoskeleton is shed, the spider can grow a new one. This new exoskeleton is made from the same chemical compounds as the old one.
The process of molting is also dangerous for the spider. In the first few moults, the spider loses its legs and appendages. It can regain them in the second to third moults.
The first moult is usually done by a female. In this stage, she lays eggs in a silk-enclosed sac. After a couple of weeks, the eggs start developing. The silk-enclosed sac can contain as many as hundreds of eggs. The number of eggs depends on the species. Some species lay very few eggs.
