Male spiders spend their days searching for female with which to mate. In the case of web-spinning spiders, the male will let the female know that he is a potential mate and
not prey by tapping out a sort of code on the web. If the female is receptive, she will allow him to enter her web. Sometimes a male will wait for an immature female to molt and become sexually mature; that way he ensures he gets first dibs on her and can also watch for rivals. I've observed several instances of this latter behavior in the Common House Spider (
Parasteatoda tepidariorum).
This male (on the left) was having a tough time in the females' "apartment complex." I'm not sure if this female or any of the others accepted him.
The next male (on the left) had better success. He waited in the female's web until she molted and then mated with her. He left the web soon after.
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| There's her exoskeleton on the right. |
I found another such couple underneath the ledge on the back porch.
References:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/insects-arachnids/spider8.htm
http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/arachnids/spiders/reproduction.htm
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