Over the last few days I showed you how I peeled open a spider egg sac, and then the next day I showed you how the eggs are still round and pearly. Now today, the day after that, I find that all the babies have simultaneously hatched, and they look like pale little gummi spiders. Extraordinarily cute!
Video below the fold.
They look very feeble, and I’m sorry to have missed the moment of hatching. It must have been something enzymatic, because they don’t look strong enough to wrestle their way out of damp toilet paper.
They’re probably hungry.
Gasp. I foresee a dark future where the oceans of the world are ruled by marauding packs of Killer Zebrafish with frickin spiders strapped to them…!
How exciting! Congratulations!
I realize things have been hatching from eggs for just forever but it still amazes me. I raise a few chickens and think the process is so complex. I have to wonder if the inside of a spider egg is as complicated as the inside of a chicken egg. Those chalazae in chicken eggs are pretty cool.
Mmmmmm. Gummi spiders.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3313/3409943253_ea3eeb4b03_z.jpg?zz=1
Wow, that was quick. How long since the eggs were laid and sacked?
I think this stage is what it typically referred to as “eggs with legs”, so they’re not actually fully developed yet.
A bit more research, and yes. This immobile stage is the egg with legs. When they molt they will become mobile and be called a 1st instar.
In this case, I don’t know how old the sac was — I collected it in my garage. I’ve got another spider who is spinning an egg sac now and I’ll be able to use to get the timing.
Look at their little eyes!! EEE!