Cannibalism - arachnid style

[CyberCynth]

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?

 

[Mel]

Gross indeed, but cheaper than divorce.
mel

 

[CyberCynth]

Gross indeed, but cheaper than divorce.
mel

Could have tried it myself, but I'm a vegetarian.....

 

[Sproket]

What about a bit of I pad spider magic :woohoo: :woohoo: :evil:

 

[CyberCynth]

What about a bit of I pad spider magic :woohoo: :woohoo: :evil:

Sproket, it's no use talking to an ol' dinosaur like me about ipads! As far as I'm concerned they are dressings following a cataract operation....

So spider magic is......????? Answers in single syllables, please!

 

[crazyguider]

Oooooo, Cynth, have you seen the news reports? Daughter and self are now living in fear, and as for going up the garden without a stick, it doesn't happen! Roll on some frost... :huh:

 

[CyberCynth]

There was an item on the BBC Points West programme about spiders the other day apparently, I missed it 'cos I was watching Eggheads. What did I miss then? Has the UK been invaded by tarantulas or something???? (She says, trembling in fright behind the settee....UGH!)

 

[Parksy]

It's not much fun being a spider either male or female. Some species of European female spider sacrifice themselves for their young to eat them. Apparently apart from the nutritional value of having Mom for dinner, the young spiderlings learn aggression which helps them to catch prey as adults.
I trapped and ejected a huge mega-spider from our lounge the other day using the tried and tested glass and sheet of paper method :evil:

 

[CyberCynth]

Ah, glad to see you didn't just squish it Steve. Much as I detest spiders I do try to despatch them humanely; i.e., chuck 'em out of the window! (After using Parksy's tried and tested capture method). My dog is not so compassionate; if she spots a spider tanking across the room she just stops it in it's tracks by plonking a large and hairy paw on it. I've never known another dog do this; is Echo unique?