She Is A Fighter!

   Early this afternoon, I pulled back the curtain in the dining room only to see a nice orb weaver spider.  I knew she had a web in the corner and wanted to check on her well-being.  To my surprise, I found her in the process of molting!  Excitedly, I grabbed the camera and headed outside to witness the event.  Things of this sort interest me so I was making sure to photograph my sweet friend as she "grew".

  The molting of spiders is the way they grow.  Once the critter eats enough to be too tight in their exoskeleton, they need to shed.  The process is called ecdysis. The spider actually grows a new exoskeleton inside the old.  It remains soft until the time comes for the process to begin.  Then, the two "skeletons" separate so it can slide out of the old "casing".  The cephalothorax (the leggy part) splits and the body of the spider slips out.  Then comes the hard part.  Getting those long legs out is not an easy task.  If the spider does not keep flexing the legs, they will start to harden before they are clear of the old exoskeleton.  If the hardening is rapid, the spider can die a slow death as it is fused with the old exterior.  It cannot move.  It cannot eat.  It dies.

  Our heroine managed to pull all of her legs free except one.  No matter how hard she tried, one leg stayed firmly in place.  I so wanted to help but that was impossible. Trying to save the spider would have only made matters worse.  The spider knew she was held fast so she did the only thing she could to survive.  She literally pulled off her leg.  My sweet friend sacrificed her leg so she could carry on with life.  

  This spider is not fully grown yet and will shed again...maybe twice.  During those molts, she may grow a new leg to replace the one lost.  Hopefully, her molting will be easier next time.  I will keep a watchful eye and try to capture the event again.  She is the sweetest spider and will, hopefully, live to mate and produce her egg sac full of tiny (future) spiderlings!