HOME       Family Pages     Computer Help     Story List     Making Pictures     All Pages

Rear view of dead redback spider

Previous | Next | Thumbnails

Dead redback spider lying on its back

Dead redback spider lying on its back

To be accepted for mating, the male has to dance on the female's web for a hundred minutes. Apparently the vibrations of his dance are necesary to prepare her for the reception of sperm. It seems horribly unfair to know that if a second male moves in after, say, ninety minutes of the ritual dance, gets a little closer to the female and dances for the remaining time, it will be he who is accepted rather than the one who's done most of the hard work. Low cunning (dare we say brains when talking of spiders?) triumphs over honest effort!