What does it mean when mating spiders have a threesome? It means death for someone.

The image to the left is a male spider. He has a leg span of about a centimetre and has just appeared off to the left in the web of a much larger mature female. He tip-toes forwards touching the web here and there trying to find the rythme that will please her enough to keep him alive. He works his way down the web slowly until he is close to her.

In the images to the below-left and below they begin to dance on her web and he works his way closer. Her twisted body language shows something to be amiss. On the picture below-right something is clinging beneath her abdomen as she dances. It is too late to turn back if he notices her strange behaviour. He is seducing her to try and keep his life

Below. The thing on her abdomen drops to the window sill at the bottom of the web. It is another male! He has only six legs and seems to have paid a high price to have seduced her but it is better than being eaten. He sits below and seems to wait for her to finish off the new suitor. She has chosen

Below. The new suitor is allowed to woo her for several long minutes. He continues to move around her and pull at the silken threads of her web as she twists and turns and moves her body in a way that seems almost tortured. Suddenly she rolls onto her back, bites him, and begins to wrap him in silk

Bottom right.The little six-legged male (her successful suitor) sits at the bottom of her web on the window sill for some time. Something incredible happens. As her body language finally loosens up and she begins to move naturally the little spider climbs up the web to his mate. He seems to be assisting her to wrap his competition in silk. He moves freely around the big female with none of the care shown by the other spider and eventually settles back beneath her body. Are they sharing a feed? Is he just safe or does his safety depend on her having a snack that is not him? Love can be tough!

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Spider Love!