Yes, spiders can survive for quite a long time without food. I had the opportunity to observe some fishing spiders (Dolomedes sp.) at the zoo I worked at. When the egg sac was first laid, it would be round, relatively smooth, and white. As time went by, it darkened and became more irregular, sort of like a lumpy deflating ball (but growing bigger, with nymphs).
They will hang on to them pretty tightly. One of the spiders laid a virgin egg sac, and a keeper tried to take it away from her with forceps. She held on to it so hard that the egg sac finally split, spilling tiny eggs all over the place.
April 16, 2008
Here is the fishing spider, a devoted mother native to Ecuador. These spiders are able scurry across a pond or stream without breaking the surface of the water (a talent I thought only ninjas possessed). The mothers are noted for carrying their egg sac around with them wherever they go. I can only assume that the bulky sac hampers her hunting style, but such are the burdens of motherhood.
Thanks for the photo, Ida.
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posted by Raging Wombat at 6:31 PM on Apr 14, 2008
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Close this window Jump to comment form99% of female spiders won't hunt when they have a sac.
April 14, 2008
Yes, spiders can survive for quite a long time without food. I had the opportunity to observe some fishing spiders (Dolomedes sp.) at the zoo I worked at. When the egg sac was first laid, it would be round, relatively smooth, and white. As time went by, it darkened and became more irregular, sort of like a lumpy deflating ball (but growing bigger, with nymphs).
They will hang on to them pretty tightly. One of the spiders laid a virgin egg sac, and a keeper tried to take it away from her with forceps. She held on to it so hard that the egg sac finally split, spilling tiny eggs all over the place.
April 16, 2008