Filmy Dome Spiders - mating

Description:

These photos are actually of two pairs of spiders living in neighboring webs (about 2 feet apart). I observed them for a couple hours on two successive afternoons. They're small spiders, only about 1/4 inch long. Male (the smaller, brown one) and female (bigger, colorful one) live in web together and seem to mate often. The males move into the females' webs at this time of year. Both females observed eating large meals. If webs were damaged, the males hurried to fix them. Prior to mating, spiders moved around each other in web for a while, apparently courting. Once coupled, male tapped rythmically on female's abdomen with pedipalps (those black feeler-looking things on front of head). Second day, I saw a round amber-colored blob which I thought was an egg sac but have since learned contains the male's sperm. The male attempts to transfer this to the female using his pedipalps. It takes them a long time, and they seem to retreat and rejoin periodically. Filmy dome spiders are exceptional among spiders for the relatively egalitarian, harmonious partnership between the sexes. In most species, the female is much larger than the male, and in some, she eats him after mating (ex: widow spiders). Filmy dome spiders are the romantic honeymooners of the spider world. Look what a cute couple they are!

Habitat:

Low web anchored to short plants over leaf litter, in shady part of woods.

Notes:

Spider Love. Rated PG-13.