How Spiders Withstand Cold Weather
WouterWhen the temperature dips, spiders slow down. They don’t shiver but they do stop producing antifreeze, their chemical mixture that keeps their tissues from freezing. A lot of spiders stay dormant during the cold months but some species are active.
Some spiders overwinter in egg sacs or burrow underground. Other spiders build webs that protect them from the elements. Then some species make their homes in leaf litter or rocks.
Some spiders are ectothermic, meaning that they can adjust their body temperature depending on the surroundings. For example, if it gets too cold, they can bask in the sun to warm up. Some arctic spiders take advantage of geothermal heat to remain active even in freezing temperatures.
Some spiders produce glycol compounds, similar to antifreeze in car engines. These compounds are found in spider blood and allow the spider to stay warm even in freezing weather. Without them, the cells would freeze and rupture. The spiders’ cells also contain a protein compound that lowers the freezing point of the spider cells. This prevents the water from expanding in ice, preventing the formation of ice crystals.
Some spiders build web sacs on the ground or high corner of buildings. They then wait for prey, break through the sac to hunt and then seal it back up when the weather cools. They can lay up to 100 eggs in each sac. These silken sacs can be hidden in a web, attached to a surface, or carried by the female.
