Published 15:51 IST, December 6th 2019
Aussie researcher finds huntsman spiders like to live together
A species of Huntsman Spiders like to live together as per Aussie Researcher Angela Sanders. Her team works for Monjebup Nature Reserve in Western Australia.
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Aussie researcher Angela Sanders has discovered that huntsman spiders which are usually found in Australia like to live toger. Sanders reportedly me discovery when she was investigating timber habitat boxes set up for pygmy possums in Western Australia. re were dozens of huntsman spiders crowded in one corner and after a bit of investigating Sanders concluded that y're likely all from same family. While speaking to a UK media publication, Sanders said that on lifting lids, she found many huntsman spiders of all sizes whizzing around inside.
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Sanders quoted that it was a species of huntsman that lives toger, rmally under bark of a tree. A single ult female lays eggs and successive generations of siblings help each or out and share prey items, she ted. This has several vants for spiders, including faster growth as y're also heavier and healthier, she concluded.
Sanders explained in her finding that in restored area, tree bark was in short supply so spiders found wooden boxes suitable. se spiders are relatively harmless and usually do a good job of keeping insects at a minimum in house. Generally, one or two huntsmans that sit in corner of roof or somewhere else and Sander's finding is a new revelation. re are 94 species of a huntsman in Western Australia and this of behaviour has only been observed in this specific species. same was reiterated by Curtin University spider expert Leanda Mason who told media that this is unusual behaviour in spider world. She said that most spiders do look after ir spiderlings until y're old eugh to go out by mselves. re's generally one reproductive female, as or females approach ulthood, y leave or get eaten, she ded.
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Sanders' team conserving ecology
Sanders and her team are happy with discovery as ecosystems y have been working to restore are w healthy eugh to support stronger species diversity. Her team's efforts are part of Monjebup Nature Reserve in Western Australia which aims to restore natural ecology of land that has suffered deces of clearing. y have planted trees to provide habitats for native animals, and re is w eugh vegetation to provide food for animals such as western pygmy possum (Cercartetus concinnus) and huntsman spiders (genus Delena). As trees are t mature eugh, Bush Herit Australia staff have set up a whole bunch of habitat boxes for little creatures.
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15:20 IST, December 6th 2019