Sunday 13 November 2011

A wrapped up genetic legacy

There are still fresh garden spider webs around if you look, with large Araneus diadematus females making the best of the mild weather. Many, though, have now died, exhausted and shriveled up, after laying eggs. This genetic legacy to next year generation is now inside wrapped up in a yellow silken cocoon attached a corner sheltered from the rain. After finishing their cocoon, they sit on it until they died, not bothering to make a web any more. The eggs will overwinter inside the sac and the spiderlings will emerge the next spring.
30 October 2011, female spider on her egg sac.

1 comment:

Beetroots2 said...

Thanks for this post, I found a sticky yellow cocoon in my shed on a plastic bag and windered which spider it was.