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6605610 
Journal Article 
BREEDING OF THE SPIDER HETEROPODA-VENATORIA 
Jakubowski, H 
1981 
25 
1 
131-138 
BCI:BCI198375065152 
The culture of the tropical spider H. venatoria (L.) is described. The spiders were kept in jars (10 .times. 10 .times. 7 cm) with a vertical (styrene foam) barrier. Female spiders during the procreative period were kept in bigger aquariums of 5-6 l. The optimum temperature was 25-30.degree. C (lethal temperature 22.degree. C), and the humidity was nearly 100%. Live Periplaneta sp., Gryllus sp. and Tenebrio molitor (larva) were used as food for all spiders and Drosophila flies were used for young individuals. Spiders mature after 7-9 mo. and molt every 20-30 days. During courtship (lasting 1-3 h), the male slowly dances near or around the female. Copulation lasts 3-4 h; every 30-50 s the male inserts the copulative apparatus, alternately of the left or right pedipalpus, into the genital opening of the female. After several days the female builds a cocoon and lays 30-100 eggs. One fertilization is enough for 3 repeated layings of viable eggs after which the cocoons built may be empty. The development of eggs lasts approximately 25 days. Spiderlings stay on the cocoon for a few days and then move in all directions, leaving behind threads in which small insects are sometimes caught. Cannibalism is rare, but a female sometimes devours a male. Lost limbs grow again at the next molt and after a 2nd molt they do not differ from the others.