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December 01, 2016: Peucetia viridans spiderlings

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  3. Mapping the Spider Brain
Today I'm extremely lucky. August 14, I explored Triple Creek Nature Preserve and found my first male and female Peucetia viridans. They were quite prevelant so I decided to visit at least 1/month and try to catch their behavior (prey catching, mating, egg sac management etc). Observed both male and female on Sept 22 - and brought one home to see if they fluoresced in 365 nm UV light.

October 9, I observed the mating dance of P viridans

October 25, I found several female P. viridans guarding egg sacs. One attached to a woody part of a bush and the other hanging from the branch of a bush.

December 1, The mom was absent from the egg sac but perhaps 50 - 100 orange spiderlings were there.

December 2, All spiderlings had departed the egg sac - some were dropping to the ground - perhaps preparing for cold weather.

Here are the photos of the spiderings - A cluster of spiderlings

dec 01 5290 peucetia viridans spiderling

Eyes of an infant Peucetia viridans

dec 01 5298 peucetia viridans spiderling

Lateral view of aninfant P. viridans showing the spinnerets,orange abdomen and greenish cephalothorax and eyes

dec 01 5300 peucetia viridans spiderling

Spinnerets of infant P. viridans

dec 01 5303 peucetia viridans spinnerets

A cluster of spiderlings

dec 01 5305 peucetia viridans cluster

Eyes of P. viridans

dec 01 5308 peucetia viridans eyes

Another view of the spinnerets

dec 01 5309 peucetia viridans spinnerets

An infant departing her old exoskeleton

dec 01 5327 peucetia viridans departing molt

A focus stack of the cluster of spiderlings

dec 01 5501 5509

A focus stack of the cluster of spiderlings

dec 01 5511 5517 spiderling moult

A focus stack of the cluster of spiderlings

dec 01 5519 5528 peucetia spiderlings moulding

Departing her old exoskeleton - cephalothroax

dec 01 5594 peucetia viridans departing mould

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C. Frank Starmer

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