I fell in love with a spider.

[Rasta]

20181101_223539 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr

Whilst out riding last month (France), I actually fell in love with - a spider. A stunner!
I have only just checked online to see what it was - velvet/ladybird. Eresidae?


Wiki says that it actually takes care of its young. How nice.

"Female velvet spiders exhibit a remarkable type maternal care unique among arachnids. Upon the birth of her brood, the mother spider liquefies her internal organs and regurgitates this material as food. Once her capability to liquefy her insides is exhausted, the young sense this and consume the mother".

[benp1]

In France? How big is that thing? Looks like a toy/model!

[Mariner]

Does it bite?

[Pickers]

Apparently we get these in southern England as well.... The young ones eat the mother....

[faustus]

Luckily (for arachnophobes like me) it is only about 10-16mm long...so not quite the hand sized monster it looks like in the picture.

[benp1]

Ha, that thing looks palm sized!

[Bearbonesnorm]

The young ones eat the mother.

Ungrateful little b'stards.

[Rasta]

20181101_225446 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr

Cute baby spiders on mother's back!

I saw hundreds of these spiders whilst cycling at night through 'Sierra de Grazalema' in Spain last year.
I was supposed to camp there in the oaky cork forest but the thought of 1 spider crawling onto me then releasing 100 mini-hers was too much for my tough sleep anywhere attitude.

Anyone know what it is?

[fatbikephil]

That gives me the heebies, confirmed arachanaphobe here, which is a pia as there are some monsters in my house