Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing fishing spiders. Fishing spiders are also known as raft spiders because they float and dock spiders because they’re often observed around docks. Fishing spiders are quite large, some of the largest spiders in the areas they inhabit. They can reach up to 4 inches (10cm) long including their legs, so about the size of an adult human’s palm, though males are about half the size of females. Fishing spiders are related to wolf spiders. Their bite is considered harmless to humans but may cause pain and swelling in an area that is bitten. Fishing spiders are a type of nursery spider which are called so because they place their egg sacs in webs spun to protect their spiderlings. Fishing spiderlings remain in their nest for three to seven days and are protected by their mother during this time. Before she spins this nursery web nest, however, the female fishing spider will carry her egg sac under her abdomen using her jaws to hold it in place. These are strong spiders; they need to be in order to take down prey up to four times their size. This is bad news for male fishing spiders who are often eaten by females.

While female black widows are believed to always eat their mate, this is a myth. Really, if any spider should have a rep for mate cannibalism, it’s the fishing spider. Females will aggressively attack males even if they haven't already mated with another spider, which seems counterproductive in terms of producing offspring but, hey, maybe they just know their preferences. *shrug* These spiders spend a lot of time on, in, or near water. Fishing spiders are able to float on the water’s surface due to surface tension. They have small hairs on their legs through which water can’t flow and the spiders stay atop the water. Fishing spiders can also dive below the water’s surface. They don’t really dive more than a few inches, but considering scale, if an adult human were to dive as deep as a fishing spider that person would have to dive at least 25 feet below the surface! And, according to observations, fishing spiders may be able to stay submerged for at least thirty minutes. Some fishing spiders can even make a bubble around their body from which they can draw air and breathe underwater!

Fishing spiders may dive for food or to avoid being eaten. Predators to fishing spiders include bats, birds, and other arthropods including other fishing spiders as we’ve already mentioned. Fishing spider nests may also be attacked by parasitic wasps. When it comes to hunting, fishing spiders will position themselves at the water’s edge or hold onto vegetation at the surface. They'll put their front legs into the water and feel for nearby vibrations. When they feel something nearby, they shoot out across the water’s surface to catch their prey. Prey to fishing spiders includes insects like dragonflies and those that have accidentally fallen in the water, tadpoles, and small frogs and fish. The spider will leave a piece of silk attached to the surface before heading out so they have a safety line if anything goes wrong and so they can grab hold if they overshoot their target. The first and last pair of legs remains stationary while the middle pairs act like oars to push the spider along.

Fishing spiders are found worldwide in tropical and temperate areas. These spiders are typically found near a source of water, though some species may venture on land for hunting. The waterways they inhabit may be stagnant pools to slow moving creeks to swift streams with rocky banks - it all depends on the species. These spiders are generally nocturnal and only live about a year, surviving only about a month in their adult stage.

For more facts on raft spiders, check out the links in the description. Thank you to Shelby on Safari and Splash Science for today’s request! Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!