How Quickly Do Spiders Grow?
WouterSpiders are characterized by an advanced central nervous system and their ability to produce silk. They also use many strategies to protect themselves. These include ballooning, which allows them to disperse their habitat far from their birthplace.
All spiders undergo a growth cycle. They begin life as eggs, and are hatched in a cocoon. Some species of spiders can lay up to a thousand eggs in a short time, while others produce few or no eggs.
Female spiders lay their eggs in a sac that is covered in silk. A protective layer of arachnid silk forms around the egg, and the female spider carries the egg sac until the young are ready to be released. In some species, the mother may feed the eggs.
The silk is strong and stretchy, and is five times stronger than steel. It is used for building webs and capturing prey. This silk is woven by the spiders’ spinnerets.
As the young grow, they molt several times. Males go through six instars, while females go through seven. Each instar is a stage of their life, and it takes five to 10 molts to reach adulthood.
The development of the eggs is dependent on the season and the weather. During winter, when the weather is cold, the spiders fertilize their eggs. Other times, the females will stay inside the sac until their young are ready to leave.
When the spider is mature, the female will mate. She can either produce the sperm on her own, or she can use the sperm of another male. If she chooses to use her own sperm, it is stored for the purpose of fertilization.
