Comments on: Itsy Bitsy Failed Courtship http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/ A daily photographic look at the world of insects, spiders, creepies, crawlies and critters. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:08:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Insect Picture of the Day » Where’s Waldo? http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/#comment-560 Insect Picture of the Day » Where’s Waldo? Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:52:14 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/#comment-560 [...] Now this little guy is still mostly in hibernation. Nighttime temps hover around -8°C. But I went out this morning to check on Waldo, and he had moved! (Please note that I have no idea what the gender of this caterpillar might be. In the event that he is a she, I would like to take this opportunity to in advance to say “Whoa, I thought you were a dude. My bad. I am so glad we’re not spiders.”) [...] [...] Now this little guy is still mostly in hibernation. Nighttime temps hover around -8°C. But I went out this morning to check on Waldo, and he had moved! (Please note that I have no idea what the gender of this caterpillar might be. In the event that he is a she, I would like to take this opportunity to in advance to say “Whoa, I thought you were a dude. My bad. I am so glad we’re not spiders.”) [...]

]]> By: Insect Picture of the Day » Funnel Weaver Courtship http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/#comment-296 Insect Picture of the Day » Funnel Weaver Courtship Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:24:33 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/#comment-296 [...] spooked the male, who was carefully listening to the web for the strong vibrations of a spider charging across the web to eat him. He ran underneath for protection; most web owners consider the underside to be dangerously exposed [...] [...] spooked the male, who was carefully listening to the web for the strong vibrations of a spider charging across the web to eat him. He ran underneath for protection; most web owners consider the underside to be dangerously exposed [...]

]]> By: David Brady http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/#comment-233 David Brady Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:33:25 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/#comment-233 Hi Mocha! I don't believe any proper study of spiders' ability to smell has ever been conducted. Male spiders will go wandering, looking for females who stay in their webs. Given the very high reproductive rate of a single mating (between 3 and 30 egg sacs, each containing several hundred spiderlings) the chance of a given female being found by a given male must be quite low, while the chance of a given female being found by ANY male is "just right" for the species. Ms Manners writes for a demographic comprised of millions of humans, each with a modest amount of disposable income and more importantly, the ability to influence newspaper distribution. While my demographic is comprised of billions and billions of spiders, none of them has any disposable income at all, and a typical spider-newspaper interaction ends badly for the spider. Hi Mocha!

I don’t believe any proper study of spiders’ ability to smell has ever been conducted. Male spiders will go wandering, looking for females who stay in their webs. Given the very high reproductive rate of a single mating (between 3 and 30 egg sacs, each containing several hundred spiderlings) the chance of a given female being found by a given male must be quite low, while the chance of a given female being found by ANY male is “just right” for the species.

Ms Manners writes for a demographic comprised of millions of humans, each with a modest amount of disposable income and more importantly, the ability to influence newspaper distribution. While my demographic is comprised of billions and billions of spiders, none of them has any disposable income at all, and a typical spider-newspaper interaction ends badly for the spider.

]]> By: Mocha-Dog http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/#comment-232 Mocha-Dog Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:14:02 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/#comment-232 How do they find each other ? Pheremones? And how come they can't distinguish the genders by the odors? And why does Ms Manners get paid so much and you get paid so little? How do they find each other ? Pheremones?
And how come they can’t distinguish
the genders by the odors?
And why does Ms Manners get
paid so much and you get paid so little?

]]> By: Kit http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/#comment-228 Kit Sun, 21 Oct 2007 23:08:43 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/#comment-228 *giggles muchly* Ah, I love spider etiquette :-) And nice pictures, too. *giggles muchly*

Ah, I love spider etiquette :-)

And nice pictures, too.

]]> By: Athena http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/#comment-227 Athena Sun, 21 Oct 2007 20:03:13 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/21/itsy-bitsy-failed-courtship/#comment-227 Can I just say, L - O - L! :D Can I just say, L - O - L! :D

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