Spider-silverback - the owner of the air castle

Spider-silverback - a small, but poisonous spider,inhabiting the aquatic environment. Most arachnids live on land, the same species is an exception. The length of the body is from 1.2 to 1.5 cm, 8 feet, abdomen, cephalothorax, two pairs of jaws and 8 eyes - this is how the silverback spider looks. The description is very similar to other spiders, but there is something special about it - it's a huge amount of hairs on the abdomen, lubricated with waterproof material, they help the silver woman to breathe under the water, as they keep the air.

Most silverbirds are found on the territoryEurope in fresh standing waters with grassy vegetation. The spider lives under the water and builds a house there. First he weaves a reticulum, which then fills with air. Subsequently, it takes the form of a bell. His house spider-silverstone fixes for a snag, plant or stone. The spider breathes not only light, but also all surface, therefore air in a cocoon is spared sparingly.

To replenish the air reserves, the spider riseson the water surface. By the way, it floats pretty fast, with a speed of about 2 cm / s. Only the abdomen protrudes to the surface, the rest of the body is in the water. At this point the silver woman is completely defenseless, so she tries not to attract attention. Having collected air into the lungs and hair, he plunges into the water to his bell, in order to dump air reserves there. So that the hairs on the abdomen do not stick together and capture as much air as possible, the silver from time to time combes them and lubricates with a fat secret, secreted from the mouth.

Although the spider is silver and has 8 eyes, he seesvery badly, but he has a sufficiently developed perception of concussion and movement. Like all representatives of arachnids, the silver from its cocoon stretches the signal threads to the nearest plants, driftwood and stones, so he immediately feels that someone has touched his web. Without losing a minute, the spider immediately runs to check whether the victim is caught. Serebryanka feeds on fish fry, insect larvae and crayfish with pleasure, in most cases hunting at night.

The silver-spider drags its victim inbell, then lies on the back, secreting enzymes to digest soft tissue extraction. All that could not be digested, the spider simply throws out of the cocoon. Since males are slightly larger than females, they may not worry that they will be eaten, and settle nearby. Mating occurs fairly peacefully and necessarily in the cocoon of the female.

To reorganize the cocoon for eggs, it is necessaryto start immediately after fertilization, which, in fact, is engaged in silver. A spider usually lays between 10 and 160 eggs. The female incubates the eggs, and until the little spiders leave the cocoon, she does not get out of it and does not eat anything. Young spiders usually settle in the same pond or weave a web and use the wind to move to another pond.

The lifespan of the silverapproximately 18 months. For the winter there are practically only young spiders and a few old females. In order not to freeze, they look for empty shells, which are braided with cobwebs, or weave a dense cocoon of vitreous mass. Even the strong frosts of the silver bear are tolerated fairly well.