Yes! They’re also called comb-footed spiders, and they have a set of bristles on their legs.
Jazzletsays
That’s really neat, thank you.
lochabersays
huh, that’s pretty interesting. And I’m saying that as one of those people who isn’t terribly fond of spiders…
That setup with the cardboard frame looks like it’s working out pretty well.
Do you know much about the construction of the egg sack? towards the beginning it looked like mostly fluff, but towards the end it looked a lot smoother, do they make a cushioned fluffy/insulating interior, and then cover it with a tighter “mat” of webbing, or is it fairly homogeneous through out?
EwgBsays
A bit off topic, but still spiders: https://imgur.com/gallery/7dxNJPX
That’s some spider ammunition for the coming war on Christmas.
rinnsays
I was wondering whether you still see the “drying up” of eggs, which happened with the Parasteatoda tepidariorum you captured. Have you figured out what went wrong back then?
christophsays
@EwgB, # 5: That’s adorable! Watching peacock spiders is a good way to get over arachnophobia.
garydargan says
Nice video. I notice that she occasionally uses her hind legs to pull out silk. Do they have any specific modifications to these legs for this?
PZ Myers says
Yes! They’re also called comb-footed spiders, and they have a set of bristles on their legs.
Jazzlet says
That’s really neat, thank you.
lochaber says
huh, that’s pretty interesting. And I’m saying that as one of those people who isn’t terribly fond of spiders…
That setup with the cardboard frame looks like it’s working out pretty well.
Do you know much about the construction of the egg sack? towards the beginning it looked like mostly fluff, but towards the end it looked a lot smoother, do they make a cushioned fluffy/insulating interior, and then cover it with a tighter “mat” of webbing, or is it fairly homogeneous through out?
EwgB says
A bit off topic, but still spiders: https://imgur.com/gallery/7dxNJPX
That’s some spider ammunition for the coming war on Christmas.
rinn says
I was wondering whether you still see the “drying up” of eggs, which happened with the Parasteatoda tepidariorum you captured. Have you figured out what went wrong back then?
christoph says
@EwgB, # 5: That’s adorable! Watching peacock spiders is a good way to get over arachnophobia.