Transcript:

Today on animal fact files we’re talking about turret spiders. Turret spiders are classified in a larger family of spiders called folding trapdoor spiders, so we’ll include them in today’s episode. These spiders are hardy creatures estimated to live fifteen years or longer in the wild. Turret and folding trapdoor spiders are secretive in nature and often it’s the males that are observed. Adult male turret and folding trapdoor spiders will wander from their burrows towards the end of summer and the beginning of fall in search of mature females. These spiders take years to reach maturity, but once they do they’ll likely reproduce on an annual basis. The males may travel far to find their mates. Male turret and folding trapdoor spiders will move at night, hiding in old burrows and under debris during the day. These spiders utilize their burrows to avoid drying out, and often their burrow sites are limited to optimal habitats in any given area. While turret and folding trapdoor spiders can be found from coastal regions to mountainous forests, their burrows are typically constructed on north-facing slopes or in deeply shaded areas sometimes even near or on the banks of a stream or other source of water. They’ll all gather at these prime locations, and this is why the burrows of these spiders can be found in large congregations. These burrow colonies are usually made up of females and their dispersed young.

When a male comes across a female, they’ll usually mate towards the entrance of her burrow. He’ll leave shortly after and she’ll take to tending her eggs. Female turret and folding trapdoor spiders may position their lens-shaped egg sacs inside their burrows or suspended right above the bottom of their retreats. After the eggs hatch, the babies will disperse to the surrounding habitat. Remember, their mom is probably positioned in a great location not only for staying moist, but also finding food.

Turret and folding trapdoor spiders are “sit and wait,” “snatch and grab” predators. They’ll sit in their burrows waiting for an unsuspecting insect or arthropod to come close enough to their burrow entrances. Some of these spiders will even put out strands of silk which will vibrate when even slightly touched thus alerting the spiders that food is nearby. These spiders are closely related to other trapdoor spiders, but there are differences in their burrow construction, so they’re classified separately. Turret and folding trapdoor spiders have different kinds of burrows. Turret spiders get their name from their tall, turret-like burrows. These burrows may include soil and even leaves in their construction and they can reach up to three inches (7.62cm) in height. These kinds of burrows aren’t usually capped with a folding door, but they may seal with a folding seam. About half of these spiders make folding doors that completely seal the burrow. The folding trapdoors of some species of these spiders not only help their homes blend in with the surrounding environment, they also help to seal in moisture. Some spider species from this family that use these trapdoor designs in their burrow building have been observed living in more extreme places that don’t have as much moisture such as dry scrubland.

Turret and folding trapdoor spiders are mostly found in parts of North America, but there are some species living in Japan, as well. While they’re generally elusive animals, they may be taken by predators such as other spiders and arthropods as well as small mammals and birds. These spiders are unique in that they have long spinnerets, like grass spiders, and they have hardened areas on the top of their abdomens. See, the hardened spots on this spider look like a face!

For more facts on turret spiders and their relatives, check out the links in the description. Thank you to Mugiwara for today’s request. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for