Wandering and courtship
Male Peacock Spider (Maratus pavonis) dancing. Photo: © D Elford, WA Museum.
Jumping Spiders (Cosmophasis) courting. Photo: M Gray © Australian Museum.
Once a male spider has matured, he leaves his web or burrow, charges his palpal mating organs with sperm and wanders off on his nomadic search for a female.
Male wandering often seems random but it can be directed by the presence of silk or air-borne chemical signals (pheromones) put out by the female. For example, male wolf or huntsman spiders encountering female dragline silk will recognise its characteristic pheromone scent (via chemoreceptive hairs on the male palps) and follow it.
Having found a female, the male must first establish his identity as a mate rather than a meal. Most do this through various forms of courtship, which can involve vibrational, chemical, tactile and visual cues. Web builders tweak the female's web, sometimes from a special mating line; wolf spiders drum the ground or signal with their palps; keen-sighted jumping spider 'dance', providing a visual display to the female; funnel web spiders tap the burrow entrance silk and the female's legs and carapace; male flower spiders also tap and stroke but take the additional precaution of tying the female down with a few silk lines. Despite these efforts unreceptive females will react aggressively and chase the male away, nip off the odd leg or even capture and eat the male.
In most spiders the males are similarly sized or a bit smaller than the females. However, in some spiders, males are tiny by comparison to females. Why? Mini-males may be less obstructive to females during mating, so increasing their chances of mating success and lessening the likelihood of being eaten by their mates. Giant females are able to lay more eggs, which increases the chances of more young surviving.
Female flower spider (Thomisus sp) with her mini mate.
Despite tying the female down with silk lines, this male Flower Spider (Sidymella rubrosignata) still became her meal after mating. Photos: Mike Gray.
