So it really is true! Lady spiders really do eat their partners after mating. I have had a pair of spiders in my shed for a while, which I have been keeping a very close eye on, believe me! They have been occupying the window sill, in various stages of, um, courtship. Yesterday, when I went to the shed, there was only one spider, and 3 legs left!!! I can only assume she found the legs a bit heavy going and only ate 5 of them, but, yeuk, how gross.... The most worrying aspect of this story is that this morning, the 3 legs were still there, but the Big Lady herself was missing. Oh, lordy, where's she going to turn up next?