About spiders there are a lot of myths and legends. The most common of them tells that if all the spiders kill their "husbands" immediately after mating, and then eat. However, this is nothing more than a fallacy. Species whose females do so ugly, among spiders are very few. In most cases, the holder remains alive and well.

The myth of total brutality spidery is based on an interesting aspect of the human psyche, with the manifestation of which we face every day. Here is a specific example: is the representative of any political party, public or religious organizations, or even the "other" Nations to commit a bad deed, as immediately to the party, organization or nation are beginning is bad.

This raises the following chain: one time have stolen something, it means all the thieves, one killed - all killer. Interestingly, it works only in the case when sovershat negative act. So, how many good deeds are not the police were doing anything positive emotions of their activities in the mass is. Is also one of them was doubly at fault - and the wave of negative sentiment hits all the police force.

This property, which scientists call "negative generalization of", apparently, went to the people inherited from our APE-like ancestors - it is very common in animals. Evolutionary its value is that it protects young herbivorous animals from the fate of being eaten. In fact, if to explain to the young baboon that the lion is always a source of danger (even if it is full or is so old that can't hunt), his chances of survival will increase.

So in the process of evolution and there was this stereotype of behavior, and, apparently, different animals he has formed independently. In the end, any negative behavior stranger casts a shadow on all of his relatives. This is made quite specific conclusions: all outsiders bad in principle, and with them you can't have any Affairs. This claim, of course, unfair, but if followed, you'll be more likely to remain alive and healthy.

And same here spiders (or rather, the spider), you ask? The matter is that people in General dislike of these beautiful and very useful animals, without which harmful insects us would with light Szili. Therefore, each spider man subconsciously believes "foreigner", which should stay away. No wonder that on everything connected with them, automatically applies the method of negative generalizations.

However, studies of arheologov show that the spider in its mass is not so bloodthirsty. Representatives of only 10% of species eats the male after mating. And those who deliberately kill him - even less.

Most often do female spiders of the genus Latrodectus belongs to highly hazardous American black widow (L. mactans) and Central Asian karakurt (L. tredecimguttatus). They mating turns into a real massacre! The female usually attacks the male when he had finished the performance of marital debt. And since these spider mate with several males, then, when the passion is, "the marriage bed" is swamped sucked corpses admirers.

However, even in this case not all male female kills personally. The matter is that to the place mating usually comes a crowd of a couple dozen males (which all spiders belonging to the genus Latrodectus born in three-four times more than females). Engaged in the same "love" it is only with two or three. And the other, yearning, waiting to die from the nervous perenapryazhenie and exhaustion. And the spider is quite practical sucks and their bodies - not to disappear good!

Such behavior of the black widow is quite explainable from the scientific point of view, these spiders the breeding season starts in early spring, when the extraction is small and female all the time wants to eat. Because of this, it is so aggressive. Yes she has, in fact, and select a special no - if she didn't dine at least a male, soon after fertilization itself will die from hunger, and the spider genus interrupted. By the way, the experiments conducted in the laboratory, showed that if a black widow before mating good feed, then her partner she does not touch.

Most likely, the bloodlust in relation to a marriage partner, which demonstrate Latrodectus and some other spiders, is the most primitive version sexual behavior. Other osminoga hunters all happens much more peacefully. For example, males of many spiders-tanenkov, in particular, representatives of widespread in European Russia kind Metellina, Smakov that hungry female can be dangerous, patiently waiting for her to eat (they mating takes place in the beginning of summer, when there is food for many). Only then the gentleman approaching the lady and perform their marital obligations. And a happy spider does not even attempt to attack him.

But spiders, nurse from the kind of Pisaura much more impatient. Instead of having to wait for favors from nature, they are forcing events. Before going met, male catches insect, entangles his wide web and carries this gift to the female. Until that satisfies hunger, ingenious gentleman is doing its job. Interestingly, some males cheat'll give my heart, presenting them instead of food wrapped in a web of a fragment of wood or stone (and fertilize the female in a time until she unravels "package"). But even such deceivers the spider never kill.

The same spiders who are too lazy to catch the prey for females, appease their beauties with music and dancing. Many krestovyi (Araneidae) hooked to the net females single thread that systematically sorted feet for several hours. Quiet and mournful sound causes the spider in the trance state, and with it after that, you can already do anything, and without fear for their own lives.

Male spiders of the genus Steatoda extract sounds rubbing his chest on the front side of the abdomen (where they have special cloves). And some wolf spiders of the family Lycosidae during courtship drum abdomen on a solid surface. This music is so mesmerizing spidery that the male after mating got plenty of time to escape. The same effect is produced by the ladies of the family of jumping spiders (Salticidae) very unique and beautiful dances, which grant their holders. Not even a very good dancer after mating remains alive.

It should also be said that the males of many spiders from birth Nephila, Argiope and Araneus almost all the time live on the same web with females. And even when the breeding season has not come yet, between them there are no conflicts. Although they still try once again to the ladies on the eyes not to fall (spiders-tenetnyky see bad enough, so the males easily go unnoticed). But at a garden spider ordinary (Araneus diadematus) males and females often live very close, almost side by side, and not trying to attack each other (the author of these lines has seen similar "idyll" not once).

Moreover, sometimes the male spiders not so peaceful and graceful, as in the above cases. Thus, males of many spiders-Bologov (Thomisidae) before mating attack on female and entangle her legs wide web. Other bolgoda have sex with a girl as soon as she fledged and some time was quite helpless. Males tarantulas of genus Sickius before copulation bite their ladies in the joints of the feet, denying them the ability to move. And villain Micrommata virescens generally satisfied on the spidery hunting, as in for the kill. After catching a chosen one, he paralyzes her with poison (which for females unpleasant, but not fatal) and only then starts to procreation.

But perhaps the real tyrants are males spider Liniphia triangularis. Moreover, they and before mating live on networks, weaved by females, so still terrorize Housewives - away food, and after mating tear them shared a snare. This is done in order to prevent re-breeding females with other males of the same species. And the poor lady, in spite of larger dimensions, can't do anything with these nihalani, because their character is much more shy and flexible.

So, as you see, very few of spidery really kill their husbands after copulation. Basically mating takes place very peacefully, and Cavaliers remain alive. However, for long - males of most species of spiders die some time after copulation from exhaustion. However, females here nothing to do with it!