Trap Door Spider

    Most spiders hang out where they can be seen. The trap door spider is different.  Dropping into it's home for a visit can be a deadly trip. 

     The female spider digs a deep hole in the ground.  To cover her home, she builds a trap door of dirt and silk.  She then puts dirt all over the door to hide it.  At night, she waits and listens.  When she hears an insect walking across her hidden door, she springs the trap.  She throws open her door and grabs the passing insect.  Her visitor is pulled to the bottom of the nest and eaten for dinner. 

     When the male spider comes to visit, her fertilizes her eggs.  After that, she is likely to eat him.  Soon, little spiders hatch from the eggs.  When they grow large, the mother spider opens the trap door and pushes them out.  The young spiders walk away together until they reach a high rock or tree. Then each spider spins a string of silk into the air.  The wind carries them up and away to different places where they will each build new trap door homes.