Spider Courtship Dance

[Yazata]

We all know that human females love dancing. So ok ladies, does this turn you on?

Spider females are larger than males and can't seem to make up their minds whether to have sex with the poor guys or just eat them. So the horny guys have to be ready to run for their lives. I suspect that sexual arousal in the arachnid female must be very close to predatory arousal. Dangerously close for arachnid males. Spiders aren't known for self-control.

These particular Australian spiders (genus Maratus or "Peacock Spiders") are known for their sexual dimorphism and for their elaborate male displays.

Spider sex!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maratus

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/eK_BTE1K2Ko

[Zinjanthropos]

Is that female’s bottom on a swivel? Appears consensual. Do these spiders see UV or has anyone photographed the male’s flowery appendage using UV? 

Watched two spiders on my deck one time. Not sure if sex was on their mind or war. They pawed each other with front legs then rolled around a bit.. Unfortunately as they departed there must have been a scent trail left behind because out of nowhere a spider wasp, Blue Mud Dauber showed up and followed the path of one spider eventually confronting, paralyzingly and carrying it away to its nest to feed hatchlings. Must have been some powerful pheromones released for the wasp to suddenly appear because it certainly wasn’t watching the two spiders doing their thing. I wonder how many spiders are killed by predators when they’re just trying to procreate

I accidentally discovered the Blue Mud Dauber’s nest when I was changing an outside light fixture a few weeks later. Wonderful tube structures made of mud that housed its young I suspect. Somehow it had made its way behind the fixture and set up shop. It's a bit frightening looking but if you're afraid of spiders, in particular Black Widows, then not sure if spraying to kill spidey will help in the long run. I would think by eliminating a natural predator then more spiders will show up once spray effect lost.

https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollin...wasp.shtml

Didn't know they steal another spider killer wasp's nest