Rain Spider nest

Spiders are commonplace in live and everybody have had flatties in their homes that sometimes (not always) get ignored as they are totally harmless.  But every now and then one makes their way into the house you just can’t ignore, even if they are relatively harmless.  Who has never found a rain spider in a corner or behind a curtain and not just about freaked.   The Common Rain Spider (Palystes superciliosus) is a species of huntsman spider commonly and widespread found in South Africa.  But this post isn’t really about the actual rain spider but rather its “nest.”  I have often found people see a rain spider egg sac and not know what it is. 
 
After mating in the early summer, the female rain spider constructs a round egg sac about 60–100 mm in size made of silk, with twigs and leaves woven into it.  I’ve even found one in Addo with a sugar packet woven into the mix.

These egg sacs are commonly seen from about November to April. The female constructs the sac over 3–5 hours, then aggressively guards it until the spiderlings, who hatch inside the protective sac, chew their way out about three weeks later.  Have a careful look at the first picture and you will see that the baby spiders have exited the egg sac  Females will construct about three of these egg sacs over their two year lifespan. 

This Post Has 12 Comments

  1. Avril

    Jeanette took a photo of a nest a few months ago and then took a photo of hundreds of babies!!!! Those spiders freek me out!! We get them in the house sometimes – hubby has to do the honours of getting them out otherwise I spray them until they are white!!! Then toss them out! Found one today actually on the lawn – we (the boys and I) walked passed it several times before we noticed it! Then I get the shiver down the spine!! Had to be brave and scoop it up and toss it into the garden – ever so quickly!!! Also touched one which was hiding in the postbox!! Shivers down the spine again! Thanks for your comment – ooh! you have friends in high places (Groot Constantia) or should I say important/nice places!!

  2. Janet

    Eeeeuw! I don’t like them either! How fascinating is that photograph with the sugar packet??

  3. Karin

    Ek het nou ‘n rilling gekry van my kroontjie tot my toontjie!!! I’m really not a huge spider fan and those nests really give me the creeps – they belong in horror movies! Hat off to you for capturing them though – if I look past my own squeamishness, they are actually quite fascinating and it’s amazing how they are able to create such sturdy structures. Love the sugar packet, LOL!

  4. Steffi

    Cool photo! The Addo Elephant National Park is still at Anne´s “To-Do-List”…Have a nice day!

  5. Lindy

    OK one word EEEEEW!!

  6. Pamela

    How resourceful!

  7. Paul

    Ah! I’ve had one of these in my garden for some time… I always wondered what kinda nasty would appear from it. Thanks for clearing it up!

  8. katherine

    saw one recently in Kirstenbosch BG there was also one last year in the same area, wondered what kind of spider it was.

  9. Lynette

    PLEASE don't kill them! They are wonderful for the garden and the house and eat all sorts of harmful pests like mosquitoes and flies. They won't bite either if you leave them alone. And the bite is not poisonous. If you don't like the sight of them, just put a see-thru container over them, push a piece of thin cardboard between the container and the floor/wall, and carry outside to the garden. Throw and run :-).

  10. garden girl

    Just found a nest in my garden. Awesome!They do freak me out when they decide to join me in the shower – that's happened twice already, but I would never kill them.

  11. ms_seddon

    Is there anyway of getting rid of them in your home and garden completely without harm? I have recently moved into a home with a gorgeous well established garden and had my first encounter with a rain spider last night.I have severe arachnophobia, so am terrified of there being more!HELP!

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