The structure of the trapping web of orb-weaver spiders. Horned spider, or spiny orb-web spider

Orb weavers are spiders whose weaving technique can delight even a professional weaver. Once, scientists even conducted a funny experiment - they sent two representatives of this species to one of them. What was their surprise when these creatures, even in conditions of complete weightlessness, managed to create a web of ideal shape and structure.

What else do we know about these spiders? For example, where do they live? What do they eat? And how dangerous are they for people?

general information

Orb weavers are spiders, whose family includes more than 3 thousand species. Considering this, it is safe to say that they are in the lead among similar beings. However, this also means that it is quite difficult to give them a general description. Indeed, despite some similarities, their external differences can drive even an experienced researcher into a stupor.

What unites them all? The correct answer is a web, all spinners weave it. Spiders of this species, despite all their differences, create networks of a similar shape. It is difficult to confuse it with the creations of other arachnids, as it has an almost perfect shape. Looking at it, you can clearly distinguish both the main threads and additional ones, in the form of circles.

The appearance of spiders

These representatives of arachnids boast the richest set of skin tones. They can be both snow-white and poisonous green. In general, the color of their body depends on the habitat and serves as a kind of natural camouflage.

But there is something that makes all representatives of the Orb weaver species look alike. Spiders of this family have a large abdomen, which in its volume greatly exceeds the cephalothorax. Also on the front pair of paws there is a special process, thanks to which they weave their web.

habitats

Trapping webs of orb-weaving spiders are scattered all over the world. They can be found in both Northern and South America, in Africa, Europe and even Australia. Some representatives of this species feel quite confident on the territory of Russia. In particular, the most common is the cross-spider.

If we talk about the preferences of these arachnids, then we can say with confidence that they like quiet and cozy corners, hidden from prying eyes. Therefore, they try to weave their web in those places where contact with the human world is minimal.

However, sometimes they can change this rule. The reason for this is the desire to find lands rich in food. Therefore, do not be surprised that the orb-web spider decided to settle in the garden or in the garden. Indeed, in such places there is a lot of prey, which, by the way, is often a pest.

How does a spider spin its web?

As you might have guessed, the orb-weaver needs a web not only for the sake of aesthetic pleasure. In practice, this is a powerful trapping mechanism, honed over many centuries by evolution. How does it work?

The construction of a new network begins with the fact that the spider launches one end of its web into the wind in the hope that it will catch on, for example, a tree. After the goal is reached, the spinner, using the newly made bridge, begins to weave other branches of the web.

At the same time, he has two types of threads in stock. One is strong and elastic, the second is sticky. The first he uses to build the frame of the web. The second one is wound in circles in a spiral in order to cover as large an area as possible.

A signal thread runs along the entire web, the vibrations from which are able to inform the hunter that the victim has flown into a trap. After that, he only has to wait a little while the prey is finally entangled in the network.

What do Orb Weavers Eat?

The basis of the diet is made up of insects that managed to get into the net. In this case, the spider will rarely attack immediately. In most cases, he will wait until the victim is a little tired and stops fluttering, after which he will approach him.

The orbworm does not eat the whole prey. He injects special toxins into her, which corrode the victim from the inside. Then he just drinks the contents, as if thick soup, and the rest drops down.

or not?

Many are interested in how dangerous it is for others, including people. Well, this arachnid has poisonous glands. But its toxins are only dangerous for insects and small mammals. In particular, it can cause paralysis in them.

As for people, it is not fatal for them. But the pain from him will haunt the poor fellow for a long time. True, spiders rarely bite people, it is much easier for them to jump to the ground and run away than to get involved in a senseless fight with a giant.

Spider-cross

In Russia, there is also a spider-web. Photos of this arachnid are presented in the article. His name is a cross. In general, this species of orbweaver is not much different from its relatives. He got his name thanks to the pattern on his belly in the form of a cross. You can meet him both in the forest and in an ordinary park.

They are often hard to spot because they hide from people. But with the advent of autumn, everything changes - they begin the mating season. At this time, the females weave webs in the most prominent places so that the male does not miss them. And only with the advent of the first cold weather, they again hide in their shelter.

Class Cheliceraceae
Spider-cross (Araneue er.)
The cross-web spider is a member of the large family of orb-weaving spiders. These spiders weave an amazingly beautiful round web, with which they catch their victims. The spider-cross hunts mainly on flying insects, primarily Diptera and butterflies, helping to clean gardens and forests from pests.
DESCRIPTION
Females, which are significantly larger than males, can reach three centimeters in length. The body color of the spider is dominated by brown tones, two zigzag dark lines stand out on the abdomen, converging in the back. The legs are covered with light and dark rings.
■ HABITAT
This genus is widely distributed throughout the world. These spiders prefer high vegetation and hang their webs at a height of about a meter from the ground.

NOTES
In Japan, this spider is called "onigumo", which means "monster spider". He owes this nickname to his dark hairy torso and boundless gluttony. Its venom, which is deadly to ordinary spider victims, does not pose a serious danger to humans.

Orb weaving spiders
Spiders are invertebrates and are included in large group arthropods. The body structure and high adaptability allowed them to survive on Earth for millions of years. The order of spiders includes more than 20 thousand species distributed throughout the globe. Of these, more than 2500 species belong to the family of orb-weaving spiders. Many of these species are known under the common
called "garden spiders".

CLASSIFICATION

TYPE Arthropods
Subtype: Cheliceraceae
Class: Arachnids
Order: Spiders

Suborder: Higher spiders
Family: Orb-weaving spiders

The orb-weaving spider family includes spiders of various sizes and colors. The photo shows a representative of the species Argiope bruennichi

deceptive appearance
Representatives of the family of orb-weaving spiders are characterized by a large abdomen and a relatively soft external chitinous skeleton. However, despite the vulnerable appearance, spiders are ruthless hunters, and their poisonous chelicerae are terrible weapons.
The body of the spider is formed by two easily distinguishable sections. The anterior is called the prosoma, or cephalothorax. This department bears six pairs of limbs: two front pairs in the mouth (chelicerae and pedipalps), and the remaining four pairs are walking legs. Rear end The body of a spider is called the opisthosoma, or abdomen. The high elasticity of the external skeleton allows the abdomen to vary greatly in size. After a hearty meal or before laying eggs, it can double its normal state.
Somewhat harder to see with the naked eye are two morphological features that distinguish spiders from other arthropods: chelicerae and spider warts. Chelicerae are located in front of the mouth and are two hooks with poisonous glands inside. Spider warts are located below the abdomen in front of the anus. A silk thread stands out from them, from which spiders spin their surprisingly complex and beautiful web.
1 - heart. In a spider, the heart is a tube with 3-4 pairs of ostia (slit-like holes), from the front end of which the aorta departs, dividing into two arteries. Of these, the hemolymph flows directly into the body of the spider, and through the ostia enters again into the heart.
2 - The elongated digestive system crosses the entire body of the spider and is represented by the mouth, oral cavity and intestines. The anterior part of the intestine expands into a muscular pharynx, which serves as a pump that draws in semi-liquid food. The midgut forms protrusions that increase the capacity of the intestine.

The brain consists of two sections: the anterior, which innervates the eye, and the posterior, which innervates the chelicerae. Spiders have no middle section, since they do not have antennae or antennae.
3 - The brain consists of two sections: the anterior, which innervates the eye, and the posterior, which innervates the chelicerae. Spiders have no middle section, since they do not have antennae or antennae.
4 - Poisonous glands are placed in chelicerae, and also protrude into the cavity of the cephalothorax. They produce poison with which spiders kill their victims.
5 - excretory system. It is represented by malpighian vessels, which have the form of two blindly closed branching tubules that flow into the intestine at the border of the middle and hindgut
6 - Spider warts. These are modified abdominal legs. At the ends of the warts there are arachnoid tubes, from which the cobweb is secreted.
7 - Ovaries. Organs in which eggs develop. In a pregnant female, the ovaries can occupy a significant part of the abdomen.
8 - Subpharyngeal nerve node
9 - Located under the esophagus and connected to the brain. Is a part nervous system: the nerve chain merged into the cephalothoracic ganglion. Nerve endings come out of it and go to various parts body.

1 - The cephalothorax. This section is protected by a special kind of dorsal shield, harder than the rest of the body of the spider. It covers vital organs, including honey.
2 - Abdomen. This is the largest part of the spider's torso, covered with an elastic exoskeleton that allows them to change in size. A characteristic pattern is often present on the back of the spider to aid in species identification.
3 - Walking legs. The spider has four pairs of walking legs. Each leg is formed by seven segments of various lengths. The last of them is called the paw and ends with two small claws. Leg size varies greatly different types depending on lifestyle.
4 - Pedipalps. They are shorter than the legs and are located in the anterior part of the cephalothorax next to the chelicerae. Formed by six segments and have sensory functions. In males, the last segment serves as a copulatory organ.
5 - simple eyes. Spiders usually have eight simple eyes. With the help of web spiders, they mainly distinguish between the strength and direction of light; wandering spiders have better vision. In general, the vision of spiders is poorly developed.
6 - Chelicerae. These are the oral appendages responsible for nutrition. They are equipped with a sharp sting connected to poisonous glands.

Netting
Spider warts are modified abdominal appendages from which the web is released.

Warts can be formed by a different number of segments, but the last of them necessarily has a large number of cobweb-secreting organs, the so-called fusuls, which form concentric circles. The shape, size, and location of arachnoid warts vary between species.

HABITAT
In forests and gardens
The habitat of orb-web spiders is tied to the habitat of flying insects, which form the basis of their diet. Forests, shrubs and urban gardens suit spiders best: the abundance of flowers attract insects here, providing the spiders with the necessary amount of food.

The family of orb-weaving spiders is widespread on our planet and includes 2500 species. Its representatives inhabit almost all corners of the land: from sea coasts to heights of six thousand meters above sea level. Without a doubt, it was the geographical distribution that determined the diversity of species of the family of orb-weaving spiders. Various natural conditions and the environment forced them to adapt, changing the structure and habits. And yet, the diverse appearance of the representatives of orb-weaving spiders does not prevent them from maintaining a series general characteristics allowing them to be assigned to the same family.
1 - (Nephila clavipes)
The length of the female of this spider reaches four centimeters, and the size of the male is smaller - only up to ten millimeters. The abdomen has a cylindrical shape. Coloration is orange with occasional yellow spots. Dark and light stripes alternate on the legs. Despite its large size, it feeds on small prey. Distributed in Central and South America, where it lives in forests, swamps and shady gardens.
2- (Argiope bruennichi) The females of this spider reach 25 millimeters in length (up to 40 millimeters with straightened legs), and the size of the males is up to seven millimeters. The color of the spider immediately catches the eye: the abdomen is painted with transverse black stripes on a white-yellow background, for which it is also called the wasp spider. Widely distributed in Europe, South Asia, China, Japan.

3 - an ordinary cross. Araneus diadematus)
The main habitats of the cross-spider are forests, bushes, roadsides and gardens. Females reach 18 millimeters in length, larger than males, whose size does not exceed nine millimeters. On the back of these spiders, a characteristic pattern in the form of a white cross is visible. Widely distributed in Europe North America and most of Asia, including Japan.

4 - Comet Spider. Gasteracantha sanguinolenta) This small spider has six spines on its abdomen and is colored yellow, red and black. Weaves a web at the tops of trees. Found in Central and South Africa.
5 - Asian golden spider. Nephila pilipes)
This spider can reach four centimeters in length. Weaves a golden web. It lives in the forests of Thailand, India and China. Often used for food.
6 - Precious spider. (Austracantha minax) Females of this Australian species reach a length of 12 millimeters, males - somewhat less. These spiders settle in colonies among the vegetation, hanging the web at a height of one meter above the ground. The abdomen of the spider is covered with thorns and painted in bright yellow and white on a black background.

LIFESTYLE
hanging by a thread
The survival of the family of orb-weaving spiders directly depends on the number of flying insects.

This is the only prey that can be caught in a web located at a relative height above the ground. For this reason, orb-weaving spiders prefer to settle in green areas, where the bulk of their potential victims are concentrated.
without haste
The life of spiders may seem too quiet and calm. All they do is wait until the next victim gets into their net. Zoologists call orb-weaving spiders sedentary, since their entire life passes on or near the web, at least after the spiders reach adulthood. The shape of their body, unlike spiders of other families, such as jumping spiders and wolf spiders, does not allow them to move quickly, and on the ground they are rather helpless. And yet, in a number of cases, orb-weaving spiders leave their guard post and do other things. This happens during the mating season and during the construction of amazing silk cocoons in which the spider wraps its eggs. Many scientists suggest that spiders began to produce silk threads specifically to protect masonry.

mating games
The moment of reproduction, during which the male and female must come into contact, is one of the most dangerous and difficult in the life of spiders, especially males. Usually males are much smaller than females and can easily turn into their prey. To avoid this, male orb-weaving spiders approach the female's web with the utmost care. Having reached her, they pull the strings in a special way to make it clear to the female that this is not a victim, but a possible partner. When the female allows the male to climb the web, he cautiously approaches her and stands opposite her as shown in the photo above.

From this position, he introduces his pedipalps into the genital opening in the abdomen of the opposite female and deposits a spermatophore there, in which spermatozoa are enclosed. After a short copulation, the male leaves the web at a run to avoid unnecessary complications.

Nutrition
The main prey of orb-weaving spiders is represented by flying insects that fall into the web in flight or jump.

Having found the victim, the spider entangles it with a web, completely immobilizing it, after which it pierces it with its powerful chelicerae and injects poison. After a short period of time, when the poison dissolves internal organs victims, turning them into mush, the spider returns to the prey and sucks out the nutrient mass. In the image on the right, a mantis was caught in the web of a wasp spider (Argiope bruennichi).

Reproduction
Spiders are egg-laying animals. This means that their babies develop outside the mother's body. Females lay their eggs in cocoons, or ootheca, made just before laying. In some species of orb-web spiders, ootheca take on amazing shapes and sizes. The thread from which the cocoon is made differs from the thread that goes to weaving nets. As the cocoon is erected, the female processes the threads with her saliva, strengthening them and giving them a papery structure. This helps to protect the eggs, which spend several weeks or even months in a cocoon under a variety of climatic conditions.

Ravenous hunters
All spiders are predators and, accordingly, excellent hunters, destroying insect pests in large numbers. They have extremely diverse ways of obtaining food: from stalking prey by wandering spiders to building a variety of intricate trapping devices by settled spiders. At the same time, orb-weaving spiders stand out from their counterparts in that they weave the most beautiful and largest webs.

The main hunting skill of orb-weaving spiders is the ability to weave a web. It should be borne in mind that a lot of insects get into the web during the day. With too much "harvest", the spiders have to constantly repair the web.

Although most orb-weaving spiders try to make it invisible, there are some, such as the wasp spider (Argiope bruennichi), which put a cross in the center of their web, or a stabiliment, which is formed by four zigzag web ribbons. At first glance, this does not make sense, since the zigzag unmasks the web. But scientists believe that this is done so that the web is more visible to birds. Seeing a web in flight, the bird will try to fly around it. However, spiders are not only hunters, but also victims. They are especially loved by birds that feed spiders to their chicks. Warblers are considered one of the main hunters of spiders and catch them both on the web and in their hiding places.

Artist's handwriting
Each group of spiders has its own characteristic web shape. The most interesting is the large concentric web of orb-weaving spiders, designed to trap flying insects. There are spiders that don't make any kind of web at all, like jumping spiders. Rough webs in the corners of walls and on tree trunks are characteristic of tangled weaver spiders and six-eyed spiders. Web spiders, which include the black widow, weave irregularly shaped webs.

The main enemies of spiders
Birds: Many birds, such as warblers and tits, love to feed spiders to their chicks.
Wasps: Some wasps catch spiders in their webs. They paralyze the spider with a sting, drag it into their hole and lay an egg on the body of the spider. Upon hatching, the larva feeds on the spider as "live canned food".
Bats: Into the Dark the bats unmistakably find spiders and snatch them with precise movement
from the web.

Major casualties
Spiders: Female spiders are larger than males and can sometimes feed on their partners. In addition, there is a special family of spiders Mimetidae, which feed exclusively on spiders of other species.
Flies: They are the main victims of spiders and make up a significant part of their diet.
Grasshoppers: Grasshoppers' abundance and mode of locomotion make them a prime prey for orbweb spiders.
Butterflies: The uneven flight of a butterfly seeking flower nectar often ends up in the webs of a spider.
Dragonflies: The webs of some spiders, such as the wasp spider, are capable of holding even large insects such as dragonflies.

The hunting "skills" of predatory plants and animals improved along with the development of life on our planet. Predators have always adapted to the behavior of their prey. The most cunning of them have managed to create traps that allow them to catch prey without chasing it, and without even entering into direct confrontation, fraught with injury and damage. Using traps, some species hunt prey that they cannot cope with in an open fight. A significant proportion of these sophisticated hunters are spiders, whose ability to weave silk webs has become proverbial. Spider web is one of the most durable natural materials. But not only spiders can build traps. There are other creatures that use deceit and cunning to earn their living.

Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)
Flycatcher is one of the carnivorous plants. It grows on peatlands, poor in nutrients, and therefore needs protein food. On the upper surface of the two rounded leaves of the leaf, three sensitive hairs stick up, secreting a very sticky liquid. The flaps of the flycatcher instantly slam shut when an insect hits. The digested prey is absorbed by the cells of the plant.

Antlion (Palpares sp.)
Adult antlions are very similar to dragonflies (left) and catch their prey in flight. The larvae (top right) build amazing traps on the ground.

In the process of its development, a small larva digs a funnel in the sand (bottom right) and hides at its bottom. When an ant or other terrestrial insect approaches the edge of the trap, its walls collapse and the animal cannot climb up. The larva grabs it with its powerful jaws, pulls it into the sand and eats it.

Wasp spider Argiope bruennichi) Wasp spider and spiders similar to it spin the most beautiful webs, reaching two meters in diameter. If such a trap is stretched between two bushes, it occupies almost all the free space and it is very difficult to bypass it.

Nemesia (Nemesia sp.)
Nemesia live on earth and dig underground galleries lined with cobwebs. They spend almost their entire lives in them. The entrance to the mink is closed by a lid, which the spider makes from the web. The lid is almost invisible against the background of the earth. The spider waits at the entrance to the gallery, holding on with its feet to the finest threads of the web scattered near the entrance. As soon as a small invertebrate steps on them, the spider jumps out of its hiding place, grabs the victim and drags it into the hole.

From myths to cinema
The ability of spiders to weave webs has fascinated people since ancient times. No wonder in the ancient and contemporary art characters with spider abilities act as skilled craftsmen or superheroes.
The myth of Arachne has become a favorite subject of classical art. The first depiction of this scene was found on an ancient Greek incense vessel dated to the 7th century BC. In painting, it is captured on the canvases of Rubens and Velasquez, and in literature it is found in Homer and in Ovid's Metamorphoses. Above is an illustration from Antoine Dufour's Lives of Famous Women (16th century).

One of the myths Ancient Greece tells about a girl named Arachne, who once lived in Lydia and was a perfect master of weaving. Arachne was so skillful and proud that she was not afraid to challenge Athena herself, the goddess of the arts and the inventor of yarn and fabric, to the competition. Pallas Athena descended from Olympus to earth and accepted the challenge of a proud girl who dreamed of proving that she could weave better than a goddess. Each of the contestants created their own masterpiece. But Athena really did not like the plot depicting the gods, created by Arachne on an immaculately woven canvas. The goddess became angry, tore the fine work and hit the girl. Arachne could not bear the shame, twisted a rope for herself and hanged herself. Taking pity, Athena saved Arachne's life, but turned her into a spider. In Greek "Arachne" means "spider", so when you say modern name arachnids - Arachnida, we involuntarily mention the name of the Lydian girl.

Comic book hero who conquered the TV screen
The idea to give a person the ability to spin a web, just like spiders do, formed the basis of one of the most famous comics - Spider-Man.

According to the plot, the bite of the spider gave Peter Parker the opportunity to indulge in a superhero capable of throwing a web for long distances in order to move from building to building and catch villains who threaten defenseless citizens.
The comic book, which was released in the United States in the middle of the 20th century, served as the plot of several equally successful film adaptations. Unlike real spiders, Spider-Man did not have a spinneret. He released his web from his wrists.

Based on the materials of issue No. 4 Insects and their acquaintances

Spiders orb-weavers (lat. Araneidae) have 3 thousand varieties, united in 170 genera. They differ from others in size, color. The largest representatives live in tropical countries, weave a web within a radius of up to 2 m. Local residents use a "canvas" folded in several layers to catch fish. In our area, weavers can be found everywhere. They love forests, gardens, a sunny meadow.

Photo and description of appearance

Color, sizes are different - from 5 mm to 28 cm. Small, medium-sized specimens live on the territory of Russia. The body structure is typical - a convex abdomen, cephalothorax. The limbs are long, powerful, connected to the cephalothorax. Only 4 pairs. The color is gray, brown, black with various spots, patterns, stripes or without them. Photos of orb weaver spiders can be seen below.

On a note!

From the front of the cephalothorax there are pedipalps, which look like another pair of limbs. Movable tentacles help to hold the victim, grind, grind food. Chelicerae end in sharp fangs and contain venom glands. With them, the predator pierces the chitinous cover of the victim, the skin.

On the head. The most important - 1 pair, are placed in the center. Capture visual images, silhouettes, shadows at a distance of 25 cm. Lateral - auxiliary eyes, provide horizons in all directions, warn of approaching enemies, potential prey. Spinners respond well to movement, web vibrations, and trap odors. The organs of smell and touch are paws.

Lifestyle

Spiders are nocturnal, during the day they hide in a secluded place near their own web. To catch prey. They do this at night, it takes about 2 hours to form the canvas.

Outwardly, the web resembles a lace fabric. Initially, the predator stretches strong threads, forms a triangle. Many cells of different diameters depart from them. The ability to weave trapping nets is transmitted genetically. A small spider after birth is able to repeat everything that its mother does, but in a smaller size.

Interesting!

The spinner spends most of his life sitting on the web in the very center, or hanging down in anticipation of a hearty dinner. You can notice a predator during the day on a cobweb sparkling under the sun's rays in the pose of the letter "X". Weaves nets almost everywhere - on plants, grass, trees, snags, in abandoned buildings, outbuildings.

Nutrition

The main diet is insects, as well as small relatives:

• midge;
• snails;
• worms;
• butterflies;
• bees;
• beetles;
• small spiders.

The webworm learns about the presence of a victim by the vibrations of the web. Approaches the prey, bites, injects poison, saliva. Wraps in cobwebs, crawls to the side, watches what is happening for several minutes. A toxic substance causes muscle paralysis, saliva turns the insides into a liquid mass. The spider tries to eat everything at once, leaving only the chitinous shell.

Interesting!

Without food, the spider can stay for about a year. Under normal conditions, a large amount of food is fed 1 time in 7-10 days. Trapping nets are constantly updating, crawling to another place. Drops damaged web after 12 victims.

reproduction

Orb weavers gather in pairs only during the mating season. The male carefully approaches the female's web, moves with his paws, creating certain vibrations. If the lady is predisposed to acquaintance, she crawls out to the middle of the canvas, sits motionless. The hungry spider eats the gentleman even before he starts courting. The same fate awaits him if the chosen one suddenly gets hungry after fertilization.

The female forms a cocoon, lays several hundred eggs there. Attaches near own shelter. Protects carefully. After 2-3 weeks, the young generation appears. Almost immediately they spread in different directions. They hibernate under foliage, in crevices, hollows, abandoned nests.

Poisonous or not

Orb weavers do not have an aggressive disposition, preferring to hide unnoticed rather than rush to attack. They can bite in defense of their own lives. Slight redness, swelling, pain appear on the spot. Passes or takes place in some days. Orb weavers do not pose a serious danger to humans.

We are accompanied in life by a huge number of living beings. We love a kitten or a puppy, but a cockroach or a spider is disgusting to us, and we don’t even think about whether they are useful or harmful. We won’t say anything good about the cockroach, but we’ll try about the spider. They live everywhere - high in the mountains, in the desert, in the forest and in the meadow, even in the water. Spiders are not found only in the permafrost of the Arctic and Antarctic. The conquerors of Everest found one of the species of spiders at an altitude of 7 km, and in the taiga there can be up to 300-350 small spiders per square meter of soil.

They have been and remain constant neighbors of man for many millennia. When man first settled in the cave, spiders already lived there. But mostly harmless spiders cause many people to have superstitious fear, the roots of which go back to ancient times.

The Apulian tarantula, thanks to a misunderstanding, even became famous throughout the world. The tarantella is named after him. This dance, widespread in the south of Italy, without which no one can do folk holiday, was born in Apulia sometime between the 13th and 18th centuries AD. e. Its appearance is associated with a method of treating a disease that has been practiced since ancient times, from which, at the height of summer, primarily young guys who worked in the fields suffered.

Among the many thousands of species of spiders, there are only a few whose poison is dangerous to humans. For example, outwardly scary spiders Zigella and Cyclosis are actually absolutely harmless. Benefits for a person, for example, bring more than harm. For example, in traditional medicine fresh cobwebs have been used since ancient times as a plaster. It stops the bleeding and disinfects the wound. Some tropical spiders weave a web so strong that the natives use it for fishing nets and nets. AT Ancient Rome doctors often recommended that the patient wear a spider pouch around his neck to cure malaria and other diseases. Here is a similar recipe from a medical reference book compiled by a certain Watson back in 1750: “Cover a living spider carefully with bread crumb, but so as not to damage it, and let the patient swallow quickly. This is a very effective medicine...”.

Spiders are united with scorpions and mites in the class of arachnids and belong to the type of arthropods, like insects and crayfish. The name of a class of arachnids and refer to a type of arthropod like insects and crayfish. The name of the arachnid class (Arachnoidea) comes from the Greek arachne - spider. The ancient Greek myth tells about a girl named Arachne, who dared to compete with the goddess Athena.

Spiders are the largest group of arachnids. More than 20,000 species of them have been described, and experts believe that this figure will increase significantly in the future, as the spider fauna the globe studied very unevenly and incompletely. All land is inhabited by spiders. Like insects and mites, they live everywhere, and there is literally no corner in nature where there would not be certain types of spiders.

In order to move on to a more detailed consideration of spiders, let's try to immediately understand the nature of this huge detachment and the features of its diversity. Indeed, in all the main life manifestations that support the existence of the species - obtaining food, reproduction, settlement and survival adverse conditions- Spiders use webs. A shelter and a dexterous device are made from it, with its help a complex mating procedure takes place, an egg cocoon is woven from it and a wintering bag on it is carried by the wind, etc. The spider interacts with the outside world not so much directly as other animals, through its cobwebs. adaptations, which in each species correspond to its vital needs and the specific environment in which it lives. In other words, relationships with environment carried out in spiders through arachnoid activity, which, like all the behavior of spiders, is based on instincts. A comparative study of spiders shows that the evolution of arachnoid activity, the evolution of instincts, is the leading direction in the evolutionary development of spiders, in which this peculiar detachment reached an unprecedented flowering.

A clear confirmation is the nature of the diversity of spiders. Gossamer adaptations represent evolutionary ranks from very simple to extremely complex and perfect, whether they are egg cocoons, lairs and nests, or trapping nets. At the same time, the building of cobweb devices is becoming more complicated. It's great that general type At the same time, the structure of the spider is steadfastly preserved. Different sizes of spiders, coloring, external form, the structure of individual organs changes, but all this endless diversity is contained within the framework of a certain stereotype. A spider is always a spider. Unity is also maintained in a number of features of biology, such as nutrition, individual development etc.

The body of spiders is divided into two sections: the cephalothorax and the abdomen. 4 pairs of legs are placed on the cephalothorax, and 4 pairs of eyes on top of the head. A pair of short tentacles is directed forward; in males, the ends of the tentacles are thickened.

A characteristic feature of all spiders is the ability to secrete a special liquid from the warts at the end of the abdomen, which immediately solidifies into a web. The web is different depending on the purpose. From it, spiders make webs to capture prey, weave a shelter for themselves, make a cocoon to protect eggs, and use it for settling.

All spiders are carnivores, feeding mostly on insects. They get them either by lying in wait, or actively pursuing, or using trapping nets. The form of trapping webs is different for different spiders. To kill prey, spiders use curved hook-shaped jaws (chelicerae), with a channel inside through which poison flows into the body of the victim. (There are no spiders dangerous to human life in the middle zone of our country, but the bite of some spiders can be very painful.)

After laying eggs, the female either guards the cocoon with eggs while sitting in the shelter, or drags it with her.

Young spiders emerging from eggs usually first hold together and then scatter. In some species, they tend to climb somewhere higher - on fences, bushes, trees. Here they release a small light cobweb, which is picked up by the wind and, together with the spider at its end, is carried away. This is how the settlement of young spiders occurs. This usually happens in autumn, during the period of " Indian summer”, and then everywhere on the bushes and fences we see cobwebs shining in the sun.

Adult spiders die after the end of the breeding season.

Family of spiders - orbweavers (Araneidae)

Spiders with a thick abdomen, significantly exceeding the thickness and width of the cephalothorax. The legs are short and thick, adapted for gliding on the web.

They move slowly, in case of danger they often fall to the ground. The trapping net is wheel-shaped, with a middle filled with a net. Spiders sit either on a trapping net or nearby in a shelter.

Typical representatives are cross-spiders (Araneus), of which there are about 20 species in the middle zone of the European part of Russia. We stumble upon their network on the paths of gardens, parks and forests in July - August. Most often they belong to females. We give a description of the females of the most common and common species.

Common cross (Araneus diadematus)

The greatest width of the abdomen in the front. Light spots are located here in the form of a cross, on the back of the abdomen there is a dark leaf-like pattern. Legs are yellow, with dark rings. Size 14 - 16 mm. A spider waiting for prey sits in the center of the web. Inhabits forest edges, clearings, woodlands. The trapping net is spread at a height of 1.5 - 2 m.

Marble cross (Araneus marmareus)

The abdomen is oval, its greatest width is at the middle. Light (sometimes red) spots forming a cruciform pattern of the abdomen, steeply oval. Legs with reddish rings. Size 15 - 20 mm. A spider waiting for prey sits on the side of the trapping net, in a shelter made of rolled-up leaves. There are more than 30 radii in the network. Habitat and distribution, as in the common cross.

Four-spotted cross (Araneus quadratus)

It is similar in size and general background to the two previous species. The abdomen is spherical, in the anterior part with four rounded light spots or with four dark dots on a light background. The leaf-like pattern in the back of the abdomen is blurred.

It occurs in open wet places: in meadows, swamps with high grassy vegetation, along river banks. There are 20 - 28 radii in the trapping net. The spider sits in a shelter on the side of the web, where the signal thread leads.

Widely distributed throughout Russia.

Striped orbworm (Singa nitidula)

A small spider, 5 - 6 mm in size, with a rolled abdomen. The cephalothorax is brown, the abdomen is light, with two wide dark longitudinal stripes.

Common in places with moist grassy vegetation. The trapping net is stretched among the grass, not high above the ground. The spider sits on the side of the net in a shelter made of a green leaf folded into a corner.

Widely distributed throughout Russia.

The horned spider, or spiky orb-weaving spider (lat. Gastercantha cancriformis) belongs to the Araneidae family.

This little spider looks like a crab. The Latin name of the species cancriformis translates as "crab", and the name of the genus is formed from two words gaster and acantha, which means "belly" and "thorn".

Spreading

This species is widely distributed in Costa Rica, Peru, Mexico, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, Cuba, Jamaica and El Salvador. In the USA, it is often found in California and Florida, especially around the city of Miami Beach and on the Atlantic coast. Separate populations inhabit many islands in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

AT last years the horned spider has also been found in Colombia and the Dominican Republic. To date, two subspecies of G.c. cancriformis G.c. gertschi.

Behavior

The spiny orbweb spider prefers to settle in mangrove forests and wet areas on trees and shrubs. Differs in enviable diligence. Weaving every evening new network in the form of a circle, in adult females it can be up to 30 cm in diameter.

It is placed on the branches in an almost vertical position, most often at a height of about 6 m above the ground, and the animal itself, waiting for prey, is at the bottom of its hunting structure.

Smaller males live on threads placed near the female's nets. They do not hesitate to sometimes feed on her trophies, after rhythmically tapping their paws on the threads. Such courtesy allows them to stay alive and not be eaten by mistake. Up to three gentlemen can feed from their girlfriend's table at the same time.

The diet consists of all kinds of flying insects. Fruit flies, whiteflies, beetles and night butterflies become prey.

reproduction

Until now, there is no reliable information about the features of the reproductive behavior of horned spiders in wild nature. All data obtained only as a result of laboratory observations. It is not known whether a female naturally mates with only one or a few males.

The mating season occurs in late spring or early summer.

The gentleman who decides to continue the family warns the lady of the seriousness of his intentions with four quick blows to the edge of the net. He repeats them until the beauty demonstrates her attitude towards him. If she does not like the applicant, then she will simply drive him away.

In case of a positive answer, the male approaches his chosen one and, in order not to fall, joins her with a thread. Mating lasts about 35 minutes and is repeated several times with short breaks.

In autumn, the female lays eggs in the amount of 100 to 260 pieces in one oblong cocoon of a golden or less often greenish color. It attaches nearby on the underside of the leaves.

The cocoon is attached first with thin whitish and yellowish threads, and then with thicker and stronger dark green ones. All this structure is additionally equipped with a special canopy.

After the construction work is completed, the mother dies. Its life expectancy does not exceed one year. Males live for about 3 months and die one week after mating.

Spiderlings hatch in winter and continue to be together for two to five weeks, and then scatter in different directions.

Description

The body length of females is 5-9 mm, and the width of their abdomen is 10-13 mm. The main background of the opisthosoma varies from white to orange, in some regions it can be black. Six spike-like processes extend from it, which are black or red. They are located along the edges of the opisthosoma in a diagonal order. Sometimes the tips of the spikes are colored orange.

The shape of the spines and coloration have many regional differences depending on the habitat. The upper part of the opisthosoma is covered with miniature blackish dots like craters arranged in four rows.

The body length of males is 2-3 mm. It is more elongated than wide. The abdomen is gray, covered with white spots. The spines are weakly visible, they can hardly be distinguished no more than 4-5 pieces. The legs are short.

The bite of this horned spider is not dangerous for humans. It causes short-term pain, swelling, and redness of nearby tissues.