Extensive Maternal Care Expressed By Second Year Female Tigrosa

georgicola (Lycosidae)

Extensive maternal care

expressed by second year
female Tigrosa georgicola
(Lycosidae)

Chao L. Wu
Student of Biological Sciences
23 November 2013
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Extensive Maternal Care Expressed By Second Year Female Tigrosa

georgicola (Lycosidae)

For The Naturalists and Biologists Alike

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Extensive Maternal Care Expressed By Second Year Female Tigrosa

georgicola (Lycosidae)
Abstract
Species Tigrosa georgicola is given direct observation as to whether it contains any
unique characteristics. Further details within its maternal care, maternal actions and maternal
offerings toward its young are not completely distinctive. However, this species does have a
unique extensive care not necessarily shown by all Lycosids. Females within this observation,
of whom successfully bore young, all expressed intensive care toward their young. Maternal
actions included the unconventional watering and feeding of hundreds of immature spiderlings,
showcasing a potential level of patience and maintenance not expressed within other species of
Lycosidae. The combination draws connections to the ever importance of human behaviors, as
well as human perceptions of arachnids in general.
Keywords: Lycosa, Hogna, Tigrosa, georgicola, behavior, care

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georgicola (Lycosidae)
Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to moderately critically analyze observations within one
month after post copulation within different individuals of Tigrosa georgicola. The goal will be
to see what observations and behavioral patterns may appear to give some new insights into the
life of the Lycosidae family (More specifically the new genus Tigrosa). In 2012, the new genus
Tigrosa was established for five Nearctic species of Lycosid. Four species were transferred
from Hogna (Simon 1885) and one from Allocosa (Walckenaer 1837). The latter of these,
discussed within this paper, was also the mistaken species originally misplaced within the
genus Allocosa. Lycosidae are well known for their extensive maternal care post-mating and post
hatching, for almost all individual females within the family will exhibit a greater or lesser
degree of care after she deposits her eggs within an eggsac. While many of the Lycosids have
digressed from utilizing silkened webbing as a means to capture prey, all still will use it as a
binding and insulating agent for maintaining the eggs humidity, temperature, and safety. For
three of the observed Tigrosa georgicola, this was only the exposition to the care. Within the five
month study period, the females expressed some stark behavior not commonly seen within
arachnids.
Egg laying
Deposit Dates: Female One (28 May 2013), Female Two (3 June 2013) Female Three (4 June
2013)
Adult females that have mated the year prior or even just a month prior will store her
sperm within her epigastric furrow (epigynum) until necessity. She then releases the sperm into
her abdomen to fertilize her developing eggs. When the time is right (usually on a warm, humid
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georgicola (Lycosidae)
night), the female barricades herself, either under a fallen log, leaf, rock or some other shelter to
begin oviposition. During the process, the female T. georgicola fans out a long section of web
into a large white sheet. This hammock is then used as the basis for the outside of the egg sac.
Afterward, she lays down a course layer of thick fluffy silk which serves both as insulation and
as a means to protect her eggs from bumps. Next, a thin layer will be added as padding for the
eggs. Upon layering the last strands of silk, the female deposits her eggs in a large, liquid mass.
This mass could contain a few hundred eggs (depending on the relative health and age of the
female).
After successful laying, the female will wrap the eggs and draw up the ends of the sheet
to form a bag around the mass of gelatinous eggs. She then will further course strands of silk
around the mass of the eggsac to make it more secure. Finally, she sets it and ties it to her
abdomen, thus finishing her parcel.
Burrowing and Post-Laying Behavior
The process of incubation takes approximately one month. Within this month, the
female carries her eggsac around with her wherever she goes, guarding, turning and protecting it
to ensure its safety. Unlike Hogna carolinensis and the Geolycosa species, Tigrosa georgicola
are not always avid/obligate burrowers which dig their homes straight down into sandy and soft
soils. Instead, they opt for a more energy saving method of excavating a burrow below fallen
logs, rocks, and other solid objects. Ten of the fifteen Tigrosa georgicola found in Eastern
Kansas under my field observation exhibited this behavior of building a horizontal burrow
structure underneath some form of an unmoving and solid object. It is important to also note that
those found under some form of a permanent niche had an eggsac (Data taken in early to mid-

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June). Within captivity, 2/3 of the specimens exhibited burrowing/hiding behavior. The other 1/3
simply layered silk beds right out in open view (This may be due to the spiders feeling relative
safety in an enclosed space). All except for one individual fed during the one month period of
eggsac care. The individual that did not feeds eggsac turned out to be sterile. Due to this, she
eventually lost hope and ate her eggsac. After one month, the young chews threw the thick silk
and break free from the constraints of the egg casing. For another two weeks, the immature
spiders clamber onto the back of the female and ride on her, getting both safety and,
interestingly, nourishment.
Observations of Maternal Feeding and Watering
Over the years of keeping and observing various species of Lycosidae, I have found that
Tigrosa georgicola had the lowest drought tolerance. While many other wolf spiders ignore the
water dish or even attempt to bury it, T. georgicola make frequent visits, sometimes three times a
day, to obtain water via the water dish. This was the case with over three females observed
within a four month period of time.
What makes the species unique is that it appears to be the first one which I have
witnessed extensive care for the female not only keeps herself hydrated, but also her young
hydrated. The conditions were kept at a 54% humidity, which actually happened to be a bit too
low for T. georgicola. Once the temperature rose and the moisture decreased, immature T.
georgicola still clambered onto the females back became extremely restless. They began to pace
about their mother, hoping to find moisture. There was even one unique instance where the
young were presumably forced to actually bite the mother to take her hemolymph (blood).
When the water dish was refilled and given a small piece of soaked tissue paper or sponge, the

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georgicola (Lycosidae)
mother would take a trip there to get a drink. However, to greater surprise, the young also walked
down to take sips from the water. With a unique and undulating motion, dozens of them left the
females abdomen to join her in the drink. Some younger ones which have yet developed the
necessity to consume continued to stay on the females back. After about three minutes of liquid
intake, the female was finished. Ironically, she did not walk away for the majority of her young
were still on the water dish. Instead, the adult mother female continued to sit guard, grooming
her legs and waiting for the young to finish and, once again, clamber onto her back. When all the
young had taken their fill of the water, they came ascending back upon the females abdomen
and cephalothorax via her last two pairs of legs. Some clung to the bottom of her abdomen. Once
all they young are safely on her back, the female walked away from the water dish to resume her
normal daily activities of hunting, grooming and protecting herself and her young.
Females were fed large crickets once a week. Young offspring within high humidity tanks
ignored the females attacks of food and clambered back on her after the female had subdued her
prey. The majority, in fact, opted to hang onto her back during the entirety of the attack on prey.
One instance, within a dryer enclosure, the female was fed the caterpillar of a species of moth.
The caterpillar was instantly targeted by the female and killed. Instead of eating it, however, the
female decided to drop the prey item. At first, it seemed as if she had lost interest. Suddenly, the
female dropped her abdomen close to the substrate and pressed her own body, filled with
hundreds of young, right next to the moist and slightly pulverized caterpillar. The young, sensing
moisture and nourishment clambered down and began feeding on the dead caterpillar. The
female continued to press her body against the caterpillar in making more young leave her back
to move on to feed on the prey item. She sat quietly in a prone position for well over an hour,
letting her young take their turn on the carcass. Immature T. georgicola stayed on the prey and
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began feeding upon the juices. Some even ventured near the soil to reach parts of the carcass
which had not been occupied yet. Meanwhile, the female continued to sit patiently and
carefully, watching guard to ensure the youngs safety as well as her own safety. One hour later,
the young had finished their fill. They clambered back onto the females back and bound
themselves back onto her body. At this point, the caterpillar was about half eaten, all from the
work of the young Tigrosa georgicola. After knowing that all the young were safely back on her,
the female picked up the caterpillar in her fangs to squeeze the last bits of nutrients from the
carcass. The female paused to puncture through the carcass, allowing some of the young, which
have yet to feed, to crawl up and take sips of the liquidated insect larvae. Finally, the female
crawled back into her burrow. Some of the young left behind trailed after her silk dragline to try
and reach her. Others began to venture out on their own. Presumably, this was about the time
when they were on their own. So, doing justice, I took the ones who were already exploring on
their own out of the enclosure and released them outside. Females showed similar behaviors
when given crickets within a dry environment.

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Extensive Maternal Care Expressed By Second Year Female Tigrosa

georgicola (Lycosidae)
Gallery of Female, Young and Caterpillar Prey

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Short Analysis
It is difficult to justify as to whether these actions are unique to the species or to the

individuals. The species' preference for moist habitat may have contributed to the females' active
search for moisture. Similarly, due to the spiderlings' relative age, there is the possibility that
they are simply acting on their own actions in feeding. However, because the female proactively
pressed her abdomen against the caterpillar, I believe this may have been a direct act of feeding.
Future experiments are needed on a larger number of specimens, as well as specimens of similar
species. To decrease frequency of error or chance, it is crucial that the specimens are placed in
similar environments with similar setups. Finally, maintaining constant humidity and temperature
levels will further decrease the possibility of skewed data.
Final Word
It strikes as an odd behavior to humans that a supposedly simple bug like the spider can
express such great maternal care. Instead of the lay them and leave them characters many have
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learned from their elementary school days, some species of spider are actually mothers which
provide protection for their young. They nurture them, ensure that they are safe when
developing, keep watch as they grow, and then continue to provide, not only protection, but also
food and sustenance as the young spiders develop. In a way, they are not so different from
humans. And to a certain degree, wolf spiders may even exhibit behaviors of care even better
than that of some parents. It really is unique that such a lowly organism can have such a
complex and capable expression of true care within Planet Earth. While many celebrities, the
media, and even schooling express to people of all ages about the negativity of insects and
arachnids, we have so much to learn from them. Just knowing that a spider has the ability to give
maternal care closes the distance between us, the primates, and the arthropods. While many
argue that spiders are simply scary, venomous and serve no purpose, the truth is never so
opposite. For example, of the over four thousand species of spider native to North America, only
four to five of them are able to deliver a medically significant bite. Yet despite the low ratio,
people have over reacted and pest control programs have extended their control of
cockroaches, flies, and mosquitoes to spiders. Such a shameless act on our part for we have
destroyed our best form of pest control. Without spiders, our real pest populations will rise, our
crops be become damaged, our prices will rise and our economy will fall. With this, hunger will
continue to grow beyond what is controllable by us. Without spiders alone, it is estimated that
humans cannot survive for more than five years simply from the overpopulation of other pests.
While we simply cannot rule out the importance of other arachnids and insects, spiders have
become a symbol of hatred and fear. We see people abdicating their destruction rather than
nurturing their existence. And how can we live with ourselves knowing that we are killing and
hating on our friends who had and have worked so hard to allow us to even survive? We

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complain that our homes are being invaded by arthropods, yet they were here first. We were the
invaders. We were the attackers and we were the ones who encroached upon their homes. So why
is it that we should be the ones complaining about them wanting to return to their native lands
again when they are the very lifeline for our survival and our existence? Perhaps those are
questions to just ponder.

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