Spider Mating and Reproduction

In order for a male spider to mate with a female, he must first inform her of his presence and his intentions.  He would normally do this by tweaking and strumming on her web in a certain way that only a female of the same species would understand.  Once he is convinced that she is aware of him he can approach her.  Depending on the species, the male may then have to perform another dance or present the female with a “gift” in order to preoccupy her so that she does not eat him.  Others may have to use “tactile communication” – stroking the female’s legs – to get her “in the mood”.

Once the female is ready to mate, the male must first deposit his sperm on to the web or substrate.  He then picks up the sperm with his pedipalps and inserts them one by one into the female’s genital opening (epigynum).  The male and female of one species have perfect fitting reproductive organs like a lock and key, so that two different species can never copulate.

The males of several species of spider must retreat quickly once mating has taken place to avoid being eaten by the female. The most famous of these are the “widow” spiders (Latrodectus spp.), named after this behaviour.  However, the males and females of many other species cohabit amicably in the same web with no threat of cannibalism.

Araneomorph spider females can often store up eggs and sperm and fertilize them when they are ready.  Even after they moult (Ecdyse) they still keep the same set of eggs and sperm.

Mygalomorph spider females, however, replace the lining of their reproductive organs every time they moult, making them “virgins” again after each ecdysis.

Above: Latrodectus geometricus - BROWN BUTTON (WIDOW). The most famous examples of spider females eating their male partners after mating are the Widow spiders, but the males of many other species must also rush to escape the same fate.  However, not all spider species practise post-sex cannibalism!

LONG-LEGGED SAC SPIDERS - Family Miturgidae

Cheiracanthium Sac Spiders usually have a cream or straw-coloured body, with very black chelicerae and face.  The black face and chelicerae are the most indicative feature of these spiders.  They have long front legs that are often held out forward and bent. They build temporary sac-like silken retreats in leaves, folds in curtains, and in the corners of rooms.  They often venture indoors to hunt at night. 

Of all the commonly encountered spiders in East Africa, these are the ones to be the most wary of.

Cheiracanthium sac spiders are found throughout most of Sub-Saharan Africa and, as they are not web-bound, wander around looking for prey.  As such, they are encountered often, especially at night, and account for about 75% of all spider bites in Sub-Saharan Africa.  Cheiracanthium venom is cytotoxic, and therefore destroys tissue cells.  The initial bite is not painful, so often goes unnoticed until later when it becomes swollen, red, and itchy.  This develops into a boil-like sore and can cause great pain and fever that can last up to two weeks.  There is not much first aid that can be applied other than treating the symptoms like pain and fever.

Similar specie: There are other, similar looking, types of Sac Spiders from the family Clubionidae that are completely harmless and should not be confused with the Long-Legged Sac Spiders from the family Miturgidae.

LIFESTYLE: Free-running, ground-living, plant-living

HABITAT: on or under bark; in webbing, scrapes, or free-running, under stones; on bushes and plants; in and under leaf litter.

BODY SIZE (excluding legs): 3-12.5 mm

ACTIVITY: Nocturnal

DANGER: Venomous (See above)

 Above: Cheiracanthium sp.(furculatum?) - LONG LEGGED SAC SPIDER  Notice the jet black face and chelicerae (fang-bases) compared to the rest of the beige/straw-coloured body.  Notice also the very long front pair of legs held forward.

Above: Cheiracanthium sp. - LONG LEGGED SAC SPIDER.

KLEPTOPARASITISM - What the heck is that!?

Kleptoparasitism

Kleptoparasitism describes the behaviour of a few different genera of spiders that steal the food from other spiders.  The most obvious example one is likely to come across is the tiny Dew-Drop Spider (Argyrodes spp) feeding off the discarded prey remains of the massive Golden Orb Web Spider (Nephila spp).  Some species will even feed on the web itself for added protein. 

 Above: Argyrodes sp. (Family Theridiidae) - DEW DROP SPIDER.  These tiny spiders often live in the webs of a much larger Nephila sp. (Family Nephilidae) Golden Orb Web Spider, living off of the discarded remains of old prey.  I personally watched this particular individual actively steal fresh prey from the larger spider when the larger spider was distracted (another fly was caught in the web elsewhere).
Dew Drop Spiders come in all sorts of funny shapes, with large bulbous abdomens, as shown here, or long protruding ones.

 Above: Nephila fenestrata - BLACK LEGGED NEPHILA (Golden Orb Web Spider), whose massive web harboured at least 3 Kleptoparasitic Dew Drop Spiders.

FUNNEL WEB SPIDERS – Family Agelenidae

These spiders live permanently in sheet webs built close to the substrate, with a funnel retreat at the end.  They resemble Wolf Spiders in shape and size, but their eye pattern is very different.  They have 2 large forward facing eyes surrounded in a circle by 6 more small eyes.

The sheet webs of the Grass Funnel Web Spiders (Olorunia spp.) are also very similar to the sheet webs of the Hippasa spp. Wolf Spiders.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Despite the similarity in the name to Australian Funnel Web Spiders - which are known to possess very virulent venom - African Funnel Web Spiders are HARMLESS to humans.

LIFESTYLE: Sedentary and web-bound

HABITAT: low base vegetation and grass

BODY SIZE (excluding legs): 8-12 mm

ACTIVITY: Diurnal and Nocturnal

DANGER: Harmless

Above: Tegenaria sp. - HOUSE FUNNEL WEB SPIDER. (Click on the image for a larger version to see more detail)

Spider Identification

The most accurate way to determine a spider’s species is to look at it under a microscope and examine the male and female reproductive organs.  In the field, this is obviously not practical, and a field guide must rely on more obvious features that can help with identification down to at least the family, and sometimes the genus, level.  There are a few spider species, however, which are distinct enough from any others that an experienced guide can identify the exact species at a glance.

In the field, there are several factors one must consider when attempting to identify a spider: habitat, web-bound or free-living, web-type, found on the ground or vegetation or near water, general impression of shape, colour, and size, and most importantly, the eye pattern.

All spiders have 2-8 simple eyes and the pattern of their eye arrangements is usually unique from one genus to another, even within the same family.

For example, a wolf spider (Family Lycosidae) will have two large eyes on the top and to the sides of the head, another two large eyes are at the forward facing, and another four smaller eyes are forward facing in a horizontal line just below.  A baboon spider (Family Theraphosidae) however has eight small eyes all in a tight cluster on the top of its flat carapace on a little bump, or protuberance.

So, although some wolf spiders can grow almost as large as a baboon spider, and can be hairy like a baboon spider, the eye pattern is distinct enough between the two that the two families should never be confused.

See Separate posts below for Baboon Spiders and Wolf Spiders for photo illustrations of eye patterns.

The identity of a web-living spider can also be narrowed down just by looking at the type of web it lives in.  There are 4 main types of webs:

-          - Orb Webs: widely considered to be the “standard spider web”.  They are generally round-ish, with radials spreading out from a hub in the centre, all hanging from a “bridge line” between two anchor points (often on trees or branches).  Example: Golden Orb Web Spiders (Family Nephilidae)

-          - Reduced or Modified Orb Webs: variations on the orb web theme, these webs sometimes do not resemble an orb at all. Example: Tropical Tent-Web Spiders (Family Araneidae)

-          - Sheet Webs: Horizontal webs constructed in a sheet.  The silk is usually not sticky like that of an orb web.  Example: Grass Funnel-Web Spiders (Family Agelenidae)

-          - Space Webs: Complex, 3-dimensional webs that appear in a variety of different configurations and habitats.  Example: Button/Widow Spiders (Family Theridiidae)

BABOON SPIDERS - Family Theraphosidae (Mygalomorphae)

In Africa, these spiders are known as Baboon spiders because of their hairy appearance and because the colour of the pads on the tarsus resembles the colour of a baboon’s foot pad.  In other parts of the world, members from this family are commonly known as Tarantulas.  Baboon spiders are very large spiders with thick legs that do not get narrower toward the end.  They live in silk-lined burrows and emerge only at night to hunt, but never move far away from the burrow.  They can live up to 25 years if they do not fall victim to predation.

Baboon spiders can be differentiated from Wolf Spiders (Family Lycosidae) by the distinct eye pattern – 8 small eyes in a tight cluster on a protuberance at the front of the cephalothorax.

They will not go out of their way to attack humans, but would rather retreat without a fight.  In Masai Mara, there is only one species of Baboon Spider, Pterinochilus chordatus.  In Kenya as a whole, there are only 7 KNOWN species (very limited work has actually been done studying Theraphosids in Kenya, and there are very possibly more than 7).  Owing to its large fangs, it can inflict a painful bite.  The venom can cause severe pain at the bite site and a tight chest, but no major systemic effects.

LIFESTYLE: Sedentary and ground-living

HABITAT: In Burrows

BODY SIZE (excluding legs): 13-64 mm

ACTIVITY: Nocturnal

DANGER: All are harmless except for Pterinochilus murinus (found in central and South-Eastern Kenya)

 Above: Pterinochilus chordatus - BABOON SPIDER.  Common in Southern and Central Kenya.  Notice the eye pattern - very distinct from that of a Wolf Spider (Lycosidae).  Here, eight small eyes are all grouped together in a tight bunch on a raised protuberance in front of the chelicerae (fang bases).

 Above: Pterinochilus chordatus - BABOON SPIDER. Notice the width of the legs does not vary much from the base to the tip - differing from the pointed feet of a Wolf Spider (Lycosidae).  Notice also the horizontally positioned chelicerae (fang bases) compared with the very vertical chelicerae of Lycosids.

Above: Eucratoscelus sp. - BABOON SPIDER.  Found in Central, Northern, and South Eastern Kenya - this was taken in central Laikipia.  (Photo Credit: Sophie Woodrow)

Above: Eucratoscelus sp. BABOON SPIDER. Again, notice the distinct eye pattern - very different from that of a Wolf Spider (Lycosidae).  Also, a fully grown Baboon Spider will generally be much bigger than a fully grown Wolf Spider - they can be almost twice the size.

GOLDEN ORB WEB SPIDERS - Family Nephilidae

Golden Orb Web Spiders – Family Nephilidae

The members of this family are usually very large with cylindrical abdomens and a black cephalothorax.  They build huge orb webs between trees with golden coloured silk.  The exception to this is the Hermit Spider (Nephilengys cruentata), which builds only a partial orb-web with a funnel retreat in one corner where it can hide.  It is also usually slightly smaller than the typical Nephila spp.

LIFESTYLE: Sedentary and web-bound

HABITAT: in trees, between trees/bushes, low vegetation or under grass.

BODY SIZE (excluding legs): up to 35 mm

ACTIVITY: Diurnal

DANGER: Harmless

 Above: Nephila senegalensis - BANDED LEGGED NEPHILA. Large body, very long legs, yellow/red bands on front legs. This particular one was not fully grown.  The span of its web was about 2 metres.

 Above: Nephila senegalensis - BANDED LEGGED NEPHILA

 Above: Nephila fenestrata - BLACK LEGGED NEPHILA. One of the largest Nephila species.  These spiders often have tiny Dew Drop Spiders (Argyrodes sp.) from the family Theridiidae living in their web as "Kleptoparasites".  Kleptoparasites live off of the remains of prey (or stolen prey) from the host spider, and are often much smaller than the host.  The Dew Drop Spiders live on the fringes of the web and wait for opportunities to steal tiny morsels of food from the huge host.  They sometimes also eat part of the web itself for added protein.

 Above: Nephila fenestrata - BLACK LEGGED NEPHILA (underside).

 Above: Nephilengys cruentata: HERMIT SPIDER.  These beautiful spiders build only partial orb-webs which terminate in a funnel/tunnel into some crevice or hole where they can hide during the day (or when threatened).  Their web is usually not as brightly golden coloured as members of the genus Nephila.  Buildings with overhanging roofs provide a great place for these spiders to build their large webs.

Above: Nephilengys cruentata: HERMIT SPIDER.

HACKLED ORB WEB SPIDERS - Family Uloboridae

Spiders in the family Uloboridae are the only spiders in the world that do not possess venom glands.  They wrap their prey in silk and cover it in digestive enzymes.  Several genera exist, with webs ranging from perfectly horizontal orb webs (Uloborus spp) to single horizontal silk lines (Miagrammopes spp).  Uloborus spp have long front legs held forward and slightly apart and a very bulbous abdomen.  Miagrammopes hold their long front legs in a similar fashion, but have long slender abdomens, giving the spider a curious shape. 

LIFESTYLE: Sedentary and web-bound

HABITAT: On bushes and low vegetation and around the eaves of buildings

BODY SIZE (excluding legs): 3-10 mm

ACTIVITY: Nocturnal

DANGER: Harmless (more harmless than any other!)

 Above: Uloborus sp. - HACKLED ORB-WEB SPIDER. Notice four front legs held forward and then split at the front.  Lots of debris in the web is also common, as shown here.  These webs look like typical orb webs, built almost horizontally, with the spider hanging upside down on the underside of the web.  Small spiders, often found under the eaves of roofs.

Above: Uloborus sp. - HACKLED ORB WEB SPIDER. Notice the large, odd-shaped abdomen, which differs from Miagrammopes sp. (not shown here) which has a long slender abdomen.

WOLF SPIDERS (Family Lycosidae)

Wolf Spiders are some of the most common spiders encountered in the bush in Kenya.  Many species are large and conspicuous, and therefore easy to find (if you’re looking).  Some species are free-living, wandering spiders, while others live in burrows or horizontal sheet webs in short grass.

Wolf Spiders have a very distinct eye pattern (see the close-up photo).  They have two large eyes on the top and to the sides of their cephalothorax.  They have another two large, forward-facing eyes at the vertical front of the cephalothorax, and a further 4 smaller eyes in a horizontal line below them.  If confusion ever arises between a Wolf Spider and a Baboon Spider, look at the eye pattern to determine the difference.  Wolf spiders come in all sizes from tiny to very large.  

Happily, Wolf Spiders’ venom is not harmful to man.

Above: Lycosa sp. WOLF SPIDER.  Close up shot to show distinctive Lycosid eye pattern.  Notice two large eyes laterally placed on top of head, two large eyes front, and four small in a flat (sometimes recurved) line below.  Large chelicerae (fang bases) protrude vertically from below the eyes.  Pedipalps (those small leg-looking things on either side of the chelicerae) and legs have long sensitive "hairs" used as sensory organs.

 Above: Lycosa sp. - BURROWING WOLF SPIDER.  These Lycosids live in vertical burrows in the ground, usually with no cap/trapdoor above the hole.  Females stay close to their burrows even at night when out foraging for food.  Males often wander in search of food and mates.  Some of these can be very large and to the un-trained eye can be confused with Baboon Spiders (Theraphosidae).  However, the eye pattern  is always indicative and easy to see even from a distance.

 Above: Lycosa sp. - BURROWING WOLF SPIDER.  Wolf Spider females attach their egg sacs under the back of their abdomen.  Once the spiderlings hatch, they climb up on their mother's back until they have gone through about 2 moults (instars), similar to scorpions.  If they fall off while she is wandering around on the ground, they simply climb back up one of her legs.

 Above: Hippasa sp. - SHEET WEB WOLF SPIDER.  These Lycosids live on wide flat sheet webs that terminate in a tunnel to a safety retreat in the grass.  The web is constructed in low grass, close to the substrate.  When disturbed on threatened, the spider retreats into the tunnel.  Notice the superb camouflage of the spotted body on a dew-soaked web early in the morning.  These spiders are web bound and do not wander in search of food.

 Above: Hogna sp. - WANDERING WOLF SPIDER.  These are free-living spiders that do not live in burrows or webs.  Often found in leaf litter and short grass in bush and forest habitats.

Above: (Probably) Hogna sp. - WANDERING WOLF SPIDER. Often found in or near buildings.  Completely Harmless.  Notice the front right leg is missing.  With each moult, this leg will slowly begin to grow back.

ORB WEB SPIDERS (Family Araneidae)

Orb webs are the quintessential circular spider webs built between two trees or under the eaves of a roof.  Most of the spiders in this family build some variation on this design.

This is a very diverse family with spiders of all shapes, sizes, colouration, and behaviours.   Females are often almost 1000 times the size of the male.  The orb web is used to trap prey and is often a very beautiful structure.

All members of this family are completely harmless to humans.  Most of them are bound to their webs and will not leave it unless the web is destroyed.

 Above: Caerostris sexcuspidata - BARK SPIDER.  These spiders build a new web every evening after sunset and take it down each morning before sunrise.  During the day they use their superb bark-like camouflage to hide on one of the trees to which their web is attached.

 Above: Cyclosa sp. - GARBAGE LINE SPIDER. These spiders construct a regular orb web but place random debris in a line across the web and hide somewhere amongst it.  Their irregularly shaped abdomen and colouration conceals them perfectly.  Even when the web is disturbed, they do not move, further aiding their camouflage.

 Above: Cyrtophora citricola - TROPICAL TENT WEB SPIDER.  These spiders come in many sizes and colour patterns (the one pictured above is more dull than others).  Their webs are built as large, messy space webs, often amongst long grass next to water or in low Acacia trees.  At the base of the web is a variation of the typical orb-web; a horizontal orb, pulled up in the centre to create a small canopy (as seen in the unfortunately blurry picture below)

 Above: Tropical Tent Web (Cyrtophora sp)

 Above: Gasteracantha falcicornis - KITE SPIDER.  These beautiful, colourful spiders build large, typical orb webs and hang upside down in the centre.  It is thought that their large spikes help to deter predation from birds (although yet unproven).  Despite their somewhat menacing appearance, these beauties are completely harmless to humans.

 Above: Gasteracantha sanguinolenta - KITE SPIDER

 Above: Isoxya tabulata - BOX KITE SPIDER

Above: Neoscona sp - HAIRY FIELD SPIDER.  Similar in size and superficially in appearance to the Bark Spiders (Caerostris spp), these spiders also build large orb webs between trees and under the eaves of roofs to catch nocturnal flying insects.

An Arachnophobe’s Guide to Spiders (A.K.A. “Is it dangerous!?”)

Most people do not go on safari hoping to see spiders and other “creepy-crawlies”.  In fact, most people won’t give spiders a second thought until they find one in their shower or under their bed.  Unfortunately, unless you live in a sterile, sealed box, you will most likely have spiders around you almost all the time.  Many of them are tiny and you probably won’t notice 95% of them, but every once in a while you see one that makes your skin crawl (especially those big nasty hairy ones).  At this point you’ve got a few options (depending on how paralyzed with fear you are).    You can: (A) freeze and scream, waiting for someone more capable to deal with it; (B) kill it; or (C) get closer, identify it, and admire it for its inherent beauty.  Option “C” is probably NOT the first thing you’d think of doing, but once you realize that spiders are not “out to get you”, you can learn to relax around them. 

As with snakes, the fear of spiders is often the fear of the unknown.  However, as with snakes, most spiders are completely harmless, and indeed beneficial to all of us.  If all the spiders on the earth were to just magically disappear, we would all be drowning in a sea of insects!  And in Kenya, there are hardly ANY dangerous spiders that you will ever have to worry about.  Bites from dangerous spiders are VERY uncommon, and serious effects from those bites are even less likely. 

This blog/guide is not meant to be an exhaustive photographic list of all the spiders in Kenya (there are literally thousands of them), but rather a simple guide to representatives of the most common families that one is likely to encounter while on safari (or in some suburbs of Nairobi). 

See subsequent posts for more details/photos.