There are many myths and legends about spiders. The most common of them tells that all spiders kill their “husbands” immediately after mating and then eat them. However, this is nothing more than a misconception. Among spiders there are very few species whose females act so unsightly. In the vast majority of cases, the gentleman remains alive and well.
The misconception about the total cruelty of spiders is based on an interesting property of the human psyche, the manifestation of which we encounter every day. Let's explain on specific example: costs the representative any political party, a public or religious organization, or even a “non-titular” nation, commit a bad act, and immediately the party, organization or nation itself begins to be treated poorly.
In this case, the following chain arises: if one person stole something, then everyone in this organization is a thieve; if one person killed, then everyone is a murderer. It is curious that it only works when a negative act is committed. So, no matter how many good deeds the police do, their activities do not evoke any positive emotions among the masses. As soon as one of them commits a fine, a wave of negativity hits the entire police force.
This property, which scientists call “negative generalization,” appears to have been inherited by humans from our ape-like ancestors—it is generally quite common among animals. Its evolutionary value lies in the fact that it protects the young of non-predatory animals from the fate of being eaten. In fact, if you explain to a young baboon that a lion is always a source of danger (even if it is well-fed or is already so old that it cannot hunt), then its chances of survival will increase.
This is how this behavioral stereotype arose in the process of evolution, and, apparently, it was formed independently in different animals. As a result, any negative behavior of a stranger casts a shadow on all his relatives. From this, very specific conclusions are drawn: all strangers are bad in principle, and you cannot have anything to do with them. Such a statement, of course, is unfair, but if you follow it, you will have a better chance of staying alive and healthy.
What do spiders (or rather, arachnids) have to do with it, you ask? Yes, despite the fact that people for the most part do not like these beautiful and very useful animals, without which harmful insects would have killed us long ago. Therefore, a person subconsciously considers every spider a “stranger” from whom one should stay away. It is no wonder that the method of negative generalization automatically applies to everything connected with them.
However, research by arachnologists shows that spiders for the most part are not so bloodthirsty. Representatives of only 10 percent of species eat the male after mating. And those who purposefully kill him are even fewer.
Most often, female spiders of the genus do this Latrodectus, to which the very dangerous American black widow belongs ( L.mactans ) and Central Asian karakurt ( L.t.redecimguttatus). Here, mating turns into a real massacre for them! The female usually attacks the male when he has not yet completed his marital duty. And since these spiders mate with several males, when the passion passes, the “marriage bed” turns out to be littered with the sucked corpses of suitors.
However, even in this case, not all males are killed by the female personally. The fact is that a crowd of a couple of dozen males usually comes to the mating site (which in all spiders belonging to the genus Latrodectus three to four times as many females are born). She makes “love” with only two or three. And others, languishing in anticipation, die from nervous strain and exhaustion. And the spider very practically sucks out their bodies - the good stuff doesn’t go to waste!
This behavior of the black widow is quite understandable from a scientific point of view - the breeding season of these spiders begins in early spring, when there is little prey and the female is always hungry. This is why she is so aggressive. Yes, in fact, she doesn’t have much of a choice - if she doesn’t dine on at least the male, then soon after fertilization she herself will die of hunger, and the spider race will be interrupted. By the way, experiments carried out in the laboratory showed that if a black widow is well fed before mating, then she does not touch her gentleman.
Most likely, bloodthirstiness towards a mating partner, which is demonstrated by latrodectus and some other spiders, is the most primitive type of sexual behavior. For other eight-legged hunters, everything happens much more peacefully. For example, the males of many web spiders, in particular, representatives of the genus widespread in European Russia Metellina Having realized that a hungry female can be dangerous, they patiently wait for her to eat (they mate at the beginning of summer, when there is already a lot of food). Only then does the gentleman approach the lady and fulfill his marital duties. And the satisfied spider doesn’t even make any attempts to attack him.
But the nanny spiders are from the genus Pisaura much more impatient. Instead of waiting for favors from nature, they force events. Before going to get acquainted, the male catches the insect, entangles it in a web and brings this gift to the female. While she satisfies her hunger, the resourceful gentleman does his job. It is interesting that some males deceive the ladies of their hearts by presenting them with a sliver or pebble wrapped in a web instead of food (and they fertilize the female while she unravels the “packaging”). But spiders never kill even such deceivers.
The same spiders, who are too lazy to catch prey for the female, pacify their beauties with the help of music or dancing. Many crosses ( Araneidae) attach a single thread to the female’s snares, which is methodically fingered with its paws over several hours. A quiet and mournful sound puts the spider in a trance state, and after that you can do whatever you want with her, and without fear for your own life.
Male spiders of the genus Steatoda They make sounds by rubbing their chest against the front edge of the abdomen (they have special teeth there). And some wolf spiders from the family Lycosidae During courtship, they drum their belly on a hard surface. This music fascinates the spiders so much that the male has a lot of time to hide after mating. The same effect is produced on ladies from the family of jumping spiders ( Salticidae) original and very beautiful dancing, which are performed by their gentlemen. Even a not very good dancer remains alive after mating.
It is also worth saying that the males of many spiders from the genera Nephila, Argiope And Araneus Almost all the time they live on the same web with females. And even when the breeding season has not yet arrived, there are no conflicts between them. Although they still try not to catch the ladies’ eyes (web spiders see quite poorly, so it’s easy for males to remain invisible). But the common cross ( Araneus diadematus) males and females often live very close, almost side by side, and make no attempts to attack each other (the author of these lines has seen such an “idyll” more than once).
Moreover, sometimes male spiders are not as peaceful and gallant as in the cases described above. Thus, the males of many side-walking spiders ( Thomisidae) before mating, they pounce on the female and entangle her limbs with a web. Other sidewalkers have sex with their chosen one immediately after she has moulted and has become completely helpless for some time. Male tarantula spiders of the genus Sickius Before copulation, they bite their ladies in the joints of their legs, depriving them of the ability to move. And the villain Micrommata virescens In general, he hunts spiders as prey. Having caught the chosen one, he paralyzes her with poison (which is unpleasant for the female, but not fatal) and only then begins procreation.
But perhaps the real tyrants are the male spiders Liniphia triangularis. Not only do they live on nets woven by females before mating, but they also terrorize their mistresses - they take food from them, and after mating they break their common nets. This is done in order to prevent the female from re-mating with another male of the same species. And the unfortunate ladies, despite more large sizes, they cannot do anything with these impudent people, since their character is much more timid and flexible.
The key to the survival of any species is procreation. Praying mantises were no exception, the mating of which has a number of very unusual features. For the male, unfortunately, this process can end very tragically. For a long time, scientists could not understand why the females of this species are so cruel. However, over time, the answer was found.
So, do you want to know what she does after mating and why she needs it? Well, then it's time to go to a wonderful world wildlife and see everything with your own eyes.
Mating season
With the arrival of August, hormones begin to play in praying mantises, which activates hidden mechanisms aimed at preparing for the reproductive process. In particular, insects begin to actively hunt in order to provide the body with the necessary elements and minerals. Females are especially sensitive to this task, because they will need to expend a lot of energy to lay eggs.
Closer to September, females, fully prepared for reproduction, release special pheromones into the air, which only male mantises can smell. Mating in these insects is a very unusual process with many surprising moments. Thus, males, carried away by the smell, forget about everything in the world and go towards their beloved.
How do praying mantises mate?
The fun begins when two insects are within sight distance. The male, who is inferior in size to the female, realizes that any mistake on his part can lead to a tragic ending.
So, if the female does not like the new gentleman, then she can hit him with her paw. And in the case of praying mantises, such a blow can not only seriously harm one’s health, but also kill the would-be lover. That is why males first study the reaction of their partner, being at a safe distance from her. Sometimes they even perform a small mating dance to show off their attractiveness.
If the female does not show aggression, then the males begin the process itself. However, even after this, there is a chance that everything will end very sadly for the man.
Bloodthirsty female praying mantis
Many are familiar with the notoriety that surrounds the females of these insects. The point is that they can bite off the heads of their suitors after mating. Why does this happen and do all males face a similar fate?
In order to lay eggs, females need to stock up on a large amount of protein. And if they failed to get him during a regular hunt, then the only way out is to bite off a piece from the gentleman. But if the lady is not hungry, then men have nothing to worry about: everything will end quite happily.
But in any case, all praying mantises are familiar with the laws of nature. Mating is the only way to survive, which means the males will be forced to risk their lives for the greater good.
Why does the female praying mantis kill the male? and got the best answer
Answer from Victoria[guru]
There are several opinions regarding the eating of male praying mantises by females.
1. The female eats the male on purpose, eating the head, his movements become more frequent, thereby increasing the amount of sperm injected into the female. After all, the nerve nodes that are located not in the head, but in the abdomen are responsible for reproduction. This opinion emerged from early studies of mantises.
2. Now this behavior is explained by the need for a large amount of protein for the development of eggs, females have to resort to this type of prey.
3. And the third version, where the praying mantis can remain alive if he is lucky. Having seen the female, the mantis slowly and carefully, often freezing for a long time, approaches her with interruptions and stops. The female praying mantis can be busy catching or eating food. Noticing the movement, it turns its head towards the male.
In this case, the male can stand frozen for a very long time. Accordingly, the mantis tries to choose the safest path. He tries to approach from the back, since approaching from the side most often ends in failure for him even before the start of sexual intercourse.
Jumping onto the female’s back, clasping her chest shield with her forepaws, bending her end of the body under the female’s body, mating begins, which lasts a couple of hours. Then immediately leave the place of “love”, avoiding the role of a snack after the orgy.
Death after passion is not a mandatory ritual of mantises.
Answer from Vlad Karsten[active]
the answer is ok
Answer from SIKKA[guru]
females, they are like that, he won’t kill them, he will enslave them...
Answer from Odita P[guru]
Viktor Danchev - RULITS))
Answer from Lagoon[guru]
Not only kills, but also eats. As a nutrient, but why does she need it anymore?
Answer from Lyokha Efimovsky[newbie]
to survive. these are the laws of nature.
Answer from Yergey[guru]
One of the most known features A praying mantis is the devouring of a male by a female after, and sometimes even during, mating. The praying mantis is a very large predatory insect. The male can reach a length of 52 mm, and the female - 75 mm. At the end of summer, the mating games of praying mantises begin. During this period, cases of cannibalism were often observed between females.
According to many experts, a male praying mantis cannot copulate when he has a head, therefore, sexual intercourse in insects begins with the female tearing off his head. But more often than not, the mating process occurs quite normally, and the female eats the male with appetite only after mating is completed, and then only in half the cases. In fact, the female eats the male due to a strong need for proteins early in egg development, he writes.
In other matters, after eating the male, the praying mantis itself also dies, immediately after laying eggs in the nest it made from foamy mucus. Like this tragic fate, reproduction of these insects. In order to produce offspring, the couple is doomed to die.
Praying mantises have become famous in the animal world due to the special relationship between females and males. As is known, female individuals kill their partner.
Immediately after copulation begins, females deprive their partner of their head by biting it off. In this case, sexual intercourse, in principle, continues, since the male’s seed continues to be transmitted to the female for some period. As a result, the female lays a minimum of ten, maximum of four hundred eggs, which are stored in a special capsule made of foamy protein raw materials called scientific world like an ootheca. Then the female hangs the capsule on a blade of grass or a tree branch, and she goes off to finish eating the father of her children.
Before we begin to describe the reasons for such strange behavior of females, let's figure out what mantises are.
Firstly, these are predatory insects, the size of which is within five centimeters. Praying mantises have a well-developed flying apparatus, but they use it extremely rarely. By appearance resemble long green leaves, although brown, yellow and other variations occur in nature. These insects inhabit tropical and subtropical zones of our planet.
It is widely believed that praying mantises spend most of their lives in the grass, but this is far from true. You can find them on trees and flowers. Ordinary mantises are real defenders of nature, destroying various pests, but flower mantises themselves are such. Because they sit on flowers and eat pollinating insects.
Mantises are excellent hunters; despite the fact that nature deprived them of size, she gave them steely patience. It is because of this that they can remain in one position for hours, waiting for a victim. And as a rule, their hunt brings the desired results. The position of the body at the time of hunting resembles a human prayer pose. That's why the insect has such an unusual name.
Males are much smaller than females, so the latter pose a huge threat to them.
Praying mantises can save their lives only if, before mating, their lady ate plenty or the male overtook his companion during the hunt and managed to take a waiting and then dominant position, and quickly disappeared after the end of sexual intercourse. At the same time, hungry females attract more males, as they are able to release a large amount of pheromones. It is for such ladies that males arrange real duels, fights to the death.
So, now let's move on to the main question, what pushes females to such desperate actions. We, based on a number of studied scientific articles, identified two factors:
- Increased sperm flow and quantity. The female, in order to obtain the partner’s seed, specifically bites off his head during sexual intercourse. This in turn increases the partner’s movement and the amount of sperm doubles. Why is that? It’s simple, the nerve endings located in the abdomen of a male individual are responsible for reproductive function;
- Valuable protein for egg development. In order to enrich her body and future offspring with a sufficient amount of protein, the female takes such measures, sacrificing the male.
There has long been an opinion that the female praying mantis eats her unlucky opponent for a reason. How could it be otherwise? The female praying mantis is much larger and more aggressive than the male, and not without obvious pleasure, this femme fatale bites off the male’s head at the moment of mating.
Is this true? Let's figure it out.
First, let's look at what a praying mantis is. This thin, awkward creature with a long body and legs can sit for hours without moving, until some careless midge comes into its field of vision.
The praying mantis is a predatory insect about 5 cm in size. It has well-developed both pairs of wings, although it rarely uses them. In case of danger, the praying mantis spreads bright wings like eyes, like a butterfly, and takes a threatening pose. In appearance, they accurately imitate long green leaves, although in nature there are mantises of not only green, but also yellow, brown and brown tones. There are more than 2,000 species of praying mantises, which mainly live in the tropics and subtropics.
It is generally accepted that the praying mantis hides in the grass, but it can be found anywhere. There are mantises that live on trees and look no different from thin tree branches; there are insects that sit on flowers and look like strange creatures. The latter include the Indian flower mantis, which looks more like a butterfly with green and pink-brown wings, and the orchid mantis, which closely imitates an orchid flower.
If the common mantis destroys harmful insects, flies, beetles and mosquitoes, then flower mantises are real pests. They hunt for bees, bumblebees and other small insects that come to feast on nectar.
Despite the fact that the mantis is thin and also slow by nature, its waiting tactics bear wonderful fruits. He sits for hours, frozen in a motionless position, raising his front legs upward, the shins of which are inserted into the hips and act like razor blades. He can sit like this for a very long time, until some careless midge or beetle falls into his paws. As soon as a suitable insect is nearby, it slowly creeps up to it and, throwing out its front legs, grabs the prey. When the insect is eaten, it again takes the same position and waits for a new victim.
It is because of this prayerful pose that the praying mantis gets its name. Translated from Greek it means “prophet”, from Latin it means “religious”. It was this pose that prompted Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish physician - the founder of a unified system of classification of flora and fauna, to give it this name.
However, there is no mystery in his pose. Raised paws help to quickly catch insects. In addition, praying mantises are terribly gluttonous. They eat everything from aphids to medium-sized beetles. Over the course of a year, the praying mantis eats a huge number of insects, and sometimes shows a tendency towards cannibalism. Mantises become especially voracious during the mating season.
Female praying mantises are much larger than males and pose a real threat to them. Under the influence of sex hormones, praying mantises may exhibit a tendency toward cannibalism. Female praying mantises eat males with pleasure after mating or during it. Males always approach the female with the greatest caution, trying not to catch her eye.
The praying mantis has a better chance of surviving if the female has had a hearty meal and is busy eating the insect. Then the male has an excellent opportunity to hide after mating unnoticed. If this does not happen, then the female devours the male immediately after mating, happily eating his head. Hungry females are more aggressive, but they are also more attractive to partners. Hungry females release more pheromones, which attracts more males to them. Although well-fed females are also popular, several individuals can fight for hungry ones at once.
Females kill males because they are driven by the instinct to take care of their offspring, the female is trying to provide them with the necessary nutrients. There is a version that the male unwittingly serves as a necessary source of protein. This theory is confirmed by the fact that well-fed females react sluggishly to males and do not always eat them after mating.