Home > Phylum selection > Arthropoda > Araneae > Eresidae
Home How to cite this site Terms & conditions Disclaimer Contact Site tutorial / Help Links	Familia Eresidae General information The Eresidae are compact spiders with a distinct sexual color dimorphism in the German species. The adult females are mostly black whereas the adult males have a bright red opisthosoma with a pattern of black dots (hence their English name "ladybird spiders"). Similar to the Atypidae the Eresidae live in silk lined subterranean tubes but they also make a tent shaped web on the surface next to the entrance of the tube that is designed to catch prey. The life cycle of the Eresidae is strictly aligned with the change of the seasons and differs from species to species. In general, the spiders reach sexual maturity after approximately 3 years. Females produce a single cocoon in their lifetime. They camouflage the cocoon with soil and debris and keep a constant temperature by bringing the cocoon to the suface during the day and transfering the cocoon underground during nighttime. The juveniles remain in the tube of the mother for several months and are fed by the mother from mouth to mouth, a rather unique behavior. Then the mother dies and serves as food for their offspring that then leave the tube and disperse. If the males feel threatened they show an interesting defensive behavior: they lower their prosoma, rise their bright red-and-black opisthosoma and perform shaking movements. This page has been updated on December 17, 2012 This site is online since May 31, 2005 Copyright © by Nikola-Michael Prpic. All rights reserved.	Species list References