Post by the20cenaddict on Dec 15, 2018 22:33:38 GMT
Don't be afraid. Just be careful. Widow spiders are actually very shy, and do not like to be bothered. If you do
intentionally challenge them, the response will not be pleasant.
So, where do I find them? In corners, underneath ledges, anywhere they feel safe, and hidden. The presence
of white egg sacs is a key element to a mature female. Yes, most of what you will encounter will be females.
Most of the sacs will have spikes all over them, indicating the Brown Widow. If the sac is smooth, it is a
Black Widow. Look out.
How do I collect them? This is an education in itself. I use small cups from Dollar Tree type stores. I get a
pack of 10 for a dollar. Just make sure the material is as clear as possible (not foggy). Drill holes in the top
and bottom, so the spider can breathe and feel comfortable.
Remember, you must be very careful, as you probe the suspect area. Use a disposable ball pen. Hopefully
you will feel a very dense portion. The spider is inside, essentially in a coma. Ok, now stretch this area slowly.
If you are lucky, the spider will fall out onto the ground, which you have cleared. She will still be out cold.
Then, quickly and carefully coax her into the cup and close the lid. Do not catch her legs in the cup edge. On
the other hand, if she does not fall out, continue to work on the dense section to at least expose her presence.
She will now be awakened. Do what you can to get her into the cup. Whew.
The spider will need to be cared for, of course. Leaving her in the cup is actually ok, for a while. She will
create her own web to feel comfortable. First of all, determine which variety she is. A Brown Widow
has a usually orange hourglass symbol, with the bottom portion larger and wider than the top. A Black
Widow's symbol is very symmetrical, top and bottom, and orange or red in color.
In most cases, the spider will stay at the top of the container to access ventilation. Given enough time,
she could produce an egg sac. It should be white, and rather transparent, up to the light. As it develops,
though, and the eggs inside mature, the appearance will get darker and darker. Remember, we are still
in the cup. The sac has to now be removed and transferred to a very clear jar, with a sealed top. In 2 to 3
weeks, the babies will emerge...WOW! Use a straightened jumbo paper clip and make a short right angle
bend. Turn the cup over, and separate the lid a bit and insert the clip to grasp the web portion the sac is
attached to, and pull out, watching the spider position, the whole time. Ok, now she is alone, again. I
should mention, the spider has a responsibility to protect her sac, and stays with it.
The spider needs a more permanent environment, now. A larger plastic jar is fine. Again, I get them
at Dollar Tree type stores. Since I take pictures and videos, the material has to be super clear, and
not colored or distorted. Glass will not work. Materials for the jar include colored elastic cord,
plastic embroidery cloth, and securement screws. The spider now has a glorious house, with added colored extended wires to
create her web, and get top to bottom.
Being a cricket is a fast paced job. I mean, if you wait too long, it will vanish. I have created a reliable
method to catch them. During the daytime, forget it. They are night oriented creatures and inhabit,
typically concrete streetlight covers, on the sidewalk. They jump out and move everywhere, and mostly
out of your reach. I have to be really alert and quick to isolate one under my cup. The problem is getting
the cap back on, without the cricket escaping. I use a piece of thin cardboard, larger than the cup diameter.
I carefully slide it under the cup, which forces the cricket to change position, without having room to get
out. Ok, now I raise the combo off the sidewalk and position the cap where it should be, and slide the
cardboard piece out. The cricket is MINE.
Now, getting it into the spider jar. This is a big deal. Once done, though, I sit back and watch. I make
another cardboard piece and cut a U shaped portion. I slide it under the cap, which I then remove. The U
portion must be beyond the cup diameter. The cricket is still trapped. I now go to the jar, and remove one
of the colored straps, and carefully lift up a section of the embroidery piece, all the while watching the
spider location. I take the cup, and approach the opening. I then push the cup forward to expose the U
shape, and coax the cricket to crawl into the jar. It's Done!
But, she is still alone, and will, most likely, produce an egg sac. As I mentioned, her normal position
is at the top of the jar, grasping the embroidery cloth. The sac will be right by her side. The next step
in the process is keeping her in good health. You know, getting fed. I normally use crickets as her
prize. The trick is, catching them and inserting into the jar. Oh, so many details.
Getting the spider, herself, into the jar is a matter of patience. Cut a thick piece of cardboard
from a folding box. Now take an opened cup and place it on the center, and trace around the
edge. Cut out this hole and press the cup into it, with the edge against the cardboard. You are
now ready to use the real spider cup. Rest the cardboard on the jar top. Carefully slide off the
cap and place the cup in the hole. By this time, the spider has probably created a temporary
web and is hanging from it.
Ok, now the important part. Hold the jar and cardboard in place and hit the jar bottom against
a covered table to force the spider out of the cup. Note that she doesn't want to separate from
her web strands, and will crawl back up into the cup...Just keep at it until she is propelled to
the bottom of the jar, and off the web.
Also, the jar must be prepared ahead of time, with the embroidery cloth, screws and elastic
tie down cords ready to go. Seal her up and she is ready to romp. And don't forget to insert the
colored strands through the top.
Now, it is up to the spider to act, assuming she is even awake. Again using modified jumbo paper clips
is a great method to access the jar interior. In this case, use the straight end. Once alerted, either by
sensing the prey presence from web vibrations, or by my coaxing, the spider will begin the attack. Her
main job is to get the prey back to the top of the jar, next to the embroidery piece. She will work very
hard to free the cricket from being hung up in the web. Back and forth to all parts of its body to make
sure she can successfully lift it. This can be a big deal, and take a while. I watch this effort, all
the time. Once she succeeds, the rest is up to her. After a day, or so, she will be finished nourishing
herself, and place the cricket to the jar bottom, or just let it hang around. Whew!
By the way, by turning the jar upside down. an even better perspective is given, as the embroidery cloth
now serves as a floor, showcasing not only the sacs, but her close up attacks. Remember to document
it all with photos and videos.
Caring for a widow spider can be a big deal, but so is the education gained. These girls are inspirations
to me with their methods. They know what is needed to succeed. They gain weight after being fed, and
the sacs appear. I make sure I transfer these to isolated containers. Indeed the spider will miss their
presence, and look around. The cute spiderlings are so tiny and so many, too. One by one, they exit the
sac and scurry around. Eventually, they form their own web style environment, shaped to the
surroundings. Unfortunately, they do not survive very long, without some form of nourishment.
Widow spiders are mostly found as the Brown variety. A Black Widow's reputation is so big, that
seeing one is a big deal, especially if they are really mature, so extreme care is needed. I have learned
so much from my experience. I hope you can, also.
THE JAR
IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST![]()
![]()
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intentionally challenge them, the response will not be pleasant.
So, where do I find them? In corners, underneath ledges, anywhere they feel safe, and hidden. The presence
of white egg sacs is a key element to a mature female. Yes, most of what you will encounter will be females.
Most of the sacs will have spikes all over them, indicating the Brown Widow. If the sac is smooth, it is a
Black Widow. Look out.
How do I collect them? This is an education in itself. I use small cups from Dollar Tree type stores. I get a
pack of 10 for a dollar. Just make sure the material is as clear as possible (not foggy). Drill holes in the top
and bottom, so the spider can breathe and feel comfortable.
Remember, you must be very careful, as you probe the suspect area. Use a disposable ball pen. Hopefully
you will feel a very dense portion. The spider is inside, essentially in a coma. Ok, now stretch this area slowly.
If you are lucky, the spider will fall out onto the ground, which you have cleared. She will still be out cold.
Then, quickly and carefully coax her into the cup and close the lid. Do not catch her legs in the cup edge. On
the other hand, if she does not fall out, continue to work on the dense section to at least expose her presence.
She will now be awakened. Do what you can to get her into the cup. Whew.
The spider will need to be cared for, of course. Leaving her in the cup is actually ok, for a while. She will
create her own web to feel comfortable. First of all, determine which variety she is. A Brown Widow
has a usually orange hourglass symbol, with the bottom portion larger and wider than the top. A Black
Widow's symbol is very symmetrical, top and bottom, and orange or red in color.
In most cases, the spider will stay at the top of the container to access ventilation. Given enough time,
she could produce an egg sac. It should be white, and rather transparent, up to the light. As it develops,
though, and the eggs inside mature, the appearance will get darker and darker. Remember, we are still
in the cup. The sac has to now be removed and transferred to a very clear jar, with a sealed top. In 2 to 3
weeks, the babies will emerge...WOW! Use a straightened jumbo paper clip and make a short right angle
bend. Turn the cup over, and separate the lid a bit and insert the clip to grasp the web portion the sac is
attached to, and pull out, watching the spider position, the whole time. Ok, now she is alone, again. I
should mention, the spider has a responsibility to protect her sac, and stays with it.
The spider needs a more permanent environment, now. A larger plastic jar is fine. Again, I get them
at Dollar Tree type stores. Since I take pictures and videos, the material has to be super clear, and
not colored or distorted. Glass will not work. Materials for the jar include colored elastic cord,
plastic embroidery cloth, and securement screws. The spider now has a glorious house, with added colored extended wires to
create her web, and get top to bottom.
Being a cricket is a fast paced job. I mean, if you wait too long, it will vanish. I have created a reliable
method to catch them. During the daytime, forget it. They are night oriented creatures and inhabit,
typically concrete streetlight covers, on the sidewalk. They jump out and move everywhere, and mostly
out of your reach. I have to be really alert and quick to isolate one under my cup. The problem is getting
the cap back on, without the cricket escaping. I use a piece of thin cardboard, larger than the cup diameter.
I carefully slide it under the cup, which forces the cricket to change position, without having room to get
out. Ok, now I raise the combo off the sidewalk and position the cap where it should be, and slide the
cardboard piece out. The cricket is MINE.
Now, getting it into the spider jar. This is a big deal. Once done, though, I sit back and watch. I make
another cardboard piece and cut a U shaped portion. I slide it under the cap, which I then remove. The U
portion must be beyond the cup diameter. The cricket is still trapped. I now go to the jar, and remove one
of the colored straps, and carefully lift up a section of the embroidery piece, all the while watching the
spider location. I take the cup, and approach the opening. I then push the cup forward to expose the U
shape, and coax the cricket to crawl into the jar. It's Done!
But, she is still alone, and will, most likely, produce an egg sac. As I mentioned, her normal position
is at the top of the jar, grasping the embroidery cloth. The sac will be right by her side. The next step
in the process is keeping her in good health. You know, getting fed. I normally use crickets as her
prize. The trick is, catching them and inserting into the jar. Oh, so many details.
Getting the spider, herself, into the jar is a matter of patience. Cut a thick piece of cardboard
from a folding box. Now take an opened cup and place it on the center, and trace around the
edge. Cut out this hole and press the cup into it, with the edge against the cardboard. You are
now ready to use the real spider cup. Rest the cardboard on the jar top. Carefully slide off the
cap and place the cup in the hole. By this time, the spider has probably created a temporary
web and is hanging from it.
Ok, now the important part. Hold the jar and cardboard in place and hit the jar bottom against
a covered table to force the spider out of the cup. Note that she doesn't want to separate from
her web strands, and will crawl back up into the cup...Just keep at it until she is propelled to
the bottom of the jar, and off the web.
Also, the jar must be prepared ahead of time, with the embroidery cloth, screws and elastic
tie down cords ready to go. Seal her up and she is ready to romp. And don't forget to insert the
colored strands through the top.
Now, it is up to the spider to act, assuming she is even awake. Again using modified jumbo paper clips
is a great method to access the jar interior. In this case, use the straight end. Once alerted, either by
sensing the prey presence from web vibrations, or by my coaxing, the spider will begin the attack. Her
main job is to get the prey back to the top of the jar, next to the embroidery piece. She will work very
hard to free the cricket from being hung up in the web. Back and forth to all parts of its body to make
sure she can successfully lift it. This can be a big deal, and take a while. I watch this effort, all
the time. Once she succeeds, the rest is up to her. After a day, or so, she will be finished nourishing
herself, and place the cricket to the jar bottom, or just let it hang around. Whew!
By the way, by turning the jar upside down. an even better perspective is given, as the embroidery cloth
now serves as a floor, showcasing not only the sacs, but her close up attacks. Remember to document
it all with photos and videos.
Caring for a widow spider can be a big deal, but so is the education gained. These girls are inspirations
to me with their methods. They know what is needed to succeed. They gain weight after being fed, and
the sacs appear. I make sure I transfer these to isolated containers. Indeed the spider will miss their
presence, and look around. The cute spiderlings are so tiny and so many, too. One by one, they exit the
sac and scurry around. Eventually, they form their own web style environment, shaped to the
surroundings. Unfortunately, they do not survive very long, without some form of nourishment.
Widow spiders are mostly found as the Brown variety. A Black Widow's reputation is so big, that
seeing one is a big deal, especially if they are really mature, so extreme care is needed. I have learned
so much from my experience. I hope you can, also.
THE JAR
IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
