Mother and Child
In this photo is a green huntsman spiderling (Micrommata virescens) along with its mother. I noticed the spiderlings had vacated their nest and had moulted before leaving it, and assumed they would have fed on their mother. Female spiders often donate themselves to ensure the spiderlings have a good meal before they leave home, actually begining the process of self-digestion to aid their offpsring's consumption of them. This aspect of spider biology is often forgotten amidst all the commentary about the males falling prey to their mates after mating. Here the female has clearly not sacrificed herself for her babies, as she was still active after their dispersal from the nest. I don't know if this is the rule with green huntsman spiders or if she was an exception!
Mother and Child
In this photo is a green huntsman spiderling (Micrommata virescens) along with its mother. I noticed the spiderlings had vacated their nest and had moulted before leaving it, and assumed they would have fed on their mother. Female spiders often donate themselves to ensure the spiderlings have a good meal before they leave home, actually begining the process of self-digestion to aid their offpsring's consumption of them. This aspect of spider biology is often forgotten amidst all the commentary about the males falling prey to their mates after mating. Here the female has clearly not sacrificed herself for her babies, as she was still active after their dispersal from the nest. I don't know if this is the rule with green huntsman spiders or if she was an exception!