There are several different types of spiders, but these four are known for their long life spans. These creatures can go weeks or months without food. Their survival does not depend on food alone, however. Some spiders can survive for months without food, even drinking water only. But, there are a few differences between the four different families of spiders. Listed below are the average life spans of the four main spider families.
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wolf spiders
Many people wonder how long a wolf spider can live without food. While some wolf spider species are small, most are between three and thirty millimeters in length. Females tend to be bigger than males. Like all spiders, wolf spiders have two distinct body sections. The front part of the body is made up of four small eyes that are arranged in a row. Its posterior portion features two large, reflective eyes. This is because the wolf spider is primarily nocturnal and can be easily detected in the dark due to its eyeshine.
Wolf spiders hunt their prey on dry land, but they are not active web-makers. They actively seek out prey and use their fangs to inject their venom, which paralyzes the prey and dissolves its innards. Because wolf spiders don’t spin webs, they can actively search for prey without having to wait for them to hunt for them.
American house spiders
American house spiders can go without food for anywhere from four to eight weeks. They are able to live for this long time because they have a food reserve, which helps them survive in times of drought or other emergencies. Spiders like to feast on live insects, so they are naturally attracted to movement of insects. Spiders typically prefer smaller insects, but large bugs can be harmful to them. If they do not get enough food, they may go without food for four or eight weeks. The web that they build is also their primary source of protein.
Although house spiders are often found inside buildings, they can survive in the wild for several months without food. Their low metabolisms and ability to regulate their metabolism based on availability of food helps them survive long without food. However, this ability to survive without food is limited for other spider species. Generally speaking, if a spider is forced to go two weeks without food, it will die. Aside from being able to survive for this long, many species of house spiders do not require food for more than a week.
tarantulas
Tarantulas are not the only pets that require feeding. Some species go weeks or even months without food. If they don’t eat for long periods of time, this may signal a health problem. However, tarantulas are not like small spiders, which need feeding only every few days. For example, pink toe tarantulas can go months without food, but curly-haired tarantulas can go months or even years without feeding.
If you want to know how long a tarantula can go without food, you should know the type of tarantula you have. Some species live in total darkness, such as the Australian tarantula. Others, such as the Goliath birdeater spider, require light to survive. If you want to learn how long your tarantula can go without food, read this article!
funnel weavers
While funnel weavers are primarily passive predators, they do collect prey. They lay an intercept webbing above the main web and knock flying insects into the sheet web below. Their webbing is not sticky, so they can suck their prey in at lightning-fast speeds. Funnel weavers are active at night and collect prey whenever a prey triggers their web.
Although their color patterns and appearance are similar, they are distinct from other spiders. The male funnel weaver spiders will wander their environment several times before dying. Female funnel weavers remain by their webs for the rest of their life, leaving it only to search for a new place to spin a web. This allows them to gain strength for mating. After egg production, female funnel weavers will usually die. Unless there is a swarm of funnel weavers in your home, you should not be concerned about your safety.
Tree Funnel-web spiders are widespread in Sydney, the Central Coast, and southern NSW. Their burrows can be as high as 30 meters, and they hide below the bark of trees. They make their silk-lined retreats beneath bark, often concealing their entrance with wood particles. While they are largely harmless to humans, they can bite. In the event of a bite, they can produce very painful symptoms.