Where do spiders go after mating? mines gone! :(

[Dave -Turner]

for the last month i've had a beautiful Orb Weaver in my backyard, I call
her Elizabeth Marie. Every night an hour after sunset she'd build a
fantastic, very large web, and then an hour before sunset she'd dismantle
the whole thing except for one or two 'guidewires', collecting it all up
into a ball the size of a small pea.

Anyway two nights ago i went out the back and it was 1am, and two male
spiders were on her web, each about half the size of the female if that.
One was slightly larger than the other, and it just spent the whole time
just staying back, mostly a foot or more away from the female.

But the smaller male spent about 40 minutes in an interesting courtship with
the female. I took a few photos.

Alas, by about the 50th minute the male had gone from lover to victim, and
was now wrapped up in a ball of silk just under the females mouth, as she
proceeded to turn the poor lil guy into soup. Well, at least he didn't die
a virgin.

Anyway ...

The next day I come out, and she's not in her normal daytime resting spot
where she had been for the last month. I waited for the night, hoping she'd
still come out to build a web, but nope.

So I'm just wondering is it normal for spiders to just bugger off after sex?
my girlfriend said if it applies to me it could apply to spiders

Thanks in advance for any feedback

[Ralph]

Post by Dave -Turner
for the last month i've had a beautiful Orb Weaver in my backyard, I call
her Elizabeth Marie. Every night an hour after sunset she'd build a
fantastic, very large web, and then an hour before sunset she'd dismantle
the whole thing except for one or two 'guidewires', collecting it all up
into a ball the size of a small pea.
Anyway two nights ago i went out the back and it was 1am, and two male
spiders were on her web, each about half the size of the female if that.
One was slightly larger than the other, and it just spent the whole time
just staying back, mostly a foot or more away from the female.
But the smaller male spent about 40 minutes in an interesting courtship with
the female. I took a few photos.
Alas, by about the 50th minute the male had gone from lover to victim, and
was now wrapped up in a ball of silk just under the females mouth, as she
proceeded to turn the poor lil guy into soup. Well, at least he didn't die
a virgin.
Anyway ...
The next day I come out, and she's not in her normal daytime resting spot
where she had been for the last month. I waited for the night, hoping she'd
still come out to build a web, but nope.
So I'm just wondering is it normal for spiders to just bugger off after sex?
my girlfriend said if it applies to me it could apply to spiders

There are all kinds of Orb Weavers. Considering the time of year you must be
down-under, thus this was the Golden or Garden Orb Spider?

After mating they do tend to skip a few nights of web-building while she
finds a spot to lay her eggs. The egg sac is hidden away, some distance from
the original web location (well, "away" in terms of spider paces), under a
leaf, twigs, etc. She may return to the same spot but is more likely to
rebuild someplace else. If she ever does. They tend to lose interest after
they have laid their eggs, and die. Depends on how late into the season.

Orb Weavers are a bit transient anyway. She would have likely moved on even
if the location is especially bountiful if she had not found a mate. But the
original location had something about it that to an Orb Weavers' view made
it ideal for a web site. So a particular site may house several Orb Weavers
over the course of a season, giving the impression it is the same spider.

-ralph

[Dave -Turner]

... she's back !!!!!! :-)))

Post by Ralph
After mating they do tend to skip a few nights of web-building while she
finds a spot to lay her eggs.

That indeed seems to be the case. The two nights after courtship she didn't
build a web at all, nor was she in the same daytime spot that she normally
rested in. But now she's back. The web is pretty much in the same
location, but at a different angle now. I'm hoping to watch her when she
dismantles her web in the next morning or so to find out where she goes to
rest during the day.

Cheers for your feedback

[Ralph]

Post by Dave -Turner
... she's back !!!!!! :-)))

Post by Ralph
After mating they do tend to skip a few nights of web-building while she
finds a spot to lay her eggs.

That indeed seems to be the case. The two nights after courtship she didn't
build a web at all, nor was she in the same daytime spot that she normally
rested in. But now she's back. The web is pretty much in the same
location, but at a different angle now. I'm hoping to watch her when she
dismantles her web in the next morning or so to find out where she goes to
rest during the day.

You should find her at the top, tucked in under a leaf or twig near one the
"guy wires", if she left them. Normally does, as they serve as a Warning
device.

If you miss her one of those intense pencil flashlights are useful. For such
a colorful critter they can be amazingly hard to see once tucked in for the
day.

-ralph

[Dave -Turner]

yep she's definitely left a few guide wires, but it's still not easy to find
her. I was able to find her daytime sleeping spot last time (pre-courtship)
by observing her when she was dismantling her web just before sunrise, but
I'm not always awake at that time of the morning!

her last daytime sleeping spot was fantastic - right in the corner or the
patio/verandah in a spot surrounded by some metal either side, it was as if
it was custom built for her, and she stayed there for over a month so it's
interesting she's moved on -- albeit not very far.

btw, are you saying that she has probably now already laid her eggs - just
~3 days after the courtship?

ps. yep im in Australia, south-west coast, so early autumn/fall here. The
nights are finally starting to get a bit cooler

[Ralph]

Post by Dave -Turner
yep she's definitely left a few guide wires, but it's still not easy to find
her. I was able to find her daytime sleeping spot last time

(pre-courtship)

Post by Dave -Turner
by observing her when she was dismantling her web just before sunrise, but
I'm not always awake at that time of the morning!
her last daytime sleeping spot was fantastic - right in the corner or the
patio/verandah in a spot surrounded by some metal either side, it was as if
it was custom built for her, and she stayed there for over a month so it's
interesting she's moved on -- albeit not very far.
btw, are you saying that she has probably now already laid her eggs - just
~3 days after the courtship?
ps. yep im in Australia, south-west coast, so early autumn/fall here. The
nights are finally starting to get a bit cooler

The egg sac was likely that bundle you saw her carrying that last night. The
eggs are essentially "ready-to-go" waiting only on a donation. Once getting
the donation she lays them in a bundle and goes looking for a spot to place
them. No time is wasted as she has been preparing for it all summer.
After-all this is the next generation - the only reason she was around in
the first place. <g>

-ralph

[Dave -Turner]

They tend to lose interest after they have laid their eggs,
and die. Depends on how late into the season.

i thought female spiders generally lasted several years though ... or do
female Orb Weavers in general have short lives?

[Ralph]

Post by Dave -Turner

They tend to lose interest after they have laid their eggs,
and die. Depends on how late into the season.

i thought female spiders generally lasted several years though ... or do
female Orb Weavers in general have short lives?

It is my understanding they only last one season.

BUT I'm not from there (only visited once years ago), and certainly no
expert (only a hobbyist), and the exact species is still not identified (it
is my assumption that it is the Golden Orb Weaver). Spiders have very
diverse lives, even those classified in an immediate Family or Genus. (As
witnessed by some crab spiders which appear very closely related, yet one is
insectivorous and the other strict fruitarians).

In North America there are large spiders (nursery and garden spiders), which
for years were thought to "hide" away during the winter since they were
often found in a slumberous state during the winter (which in the lab or
under control conditions could be awaken) and seem to magically appear
full-grown and ready for business come summer. However, later it was found
that few if any actually made it to summer and that the young lived very
different lives in the spring months until they grew large enough to become
the adults with adult behavior we view latter.

A cliché - but so true: in this day of amazing discoveries from the depths
of the sea to outer space, from the poles to equatorial jungles, it is still
amazing of how little we know of the life cycles and behavior of things in
our own backyard.

I suggest you identify the exact species of critter you are observing. Not
easily done as such an intimate examination is usually quite annoying to the
spider. Then use the Web to find out more information on that specific
species. Don't be too surprised if there turns out to be gaps in what is
known or even contrary data.

Keep careful notes and you will likely find a scientist, college professor,
or someone that will be glad to share with you.

-ralph