A typical spider can live for about 1-2 years. The lifespan of spiders depends on the species, sex, and external conditions. Female spiders usually live longer than male spiders. Some spider species such as tarantulas (15-20 years) live longer than other species such as house spiders (1-2 years). The lifespan of spiders is also gets reduced due to external factors such as parasites (Mermithid nematode), predators (hunting wasps), and many more.
How long can spiders live?
Most of us are afraid of spiders due to several reasons such as eight spindly legs, eight eyes, weird movements, and many more. We want to get rid of them as soon as possible but have you ever wondered how long spiders can survive if they are killed. The lifespan can vary with different species of spiders. Most of the spiders usually live for 1-2 years while there are few spider species such as Goliath birdeater (which belongs to the tarantula family) that can live for 15 to 25 years. However note that the lifespan of a spider depends on several factors such as type of spider species, availability of food and water, sex, and many more. Before we dig into details, let’s understand the typical life cycle of a spider.
Stages in a spider life cycle
Almost all spider species go through the same life cycle. The typical life cycle of a spider includes an egg stage, spiderlings, and adult.
Egg stage: This is the embryonic stage in which female spiders produce a few or thousands of eggs after mating. The number of eggs laid by female spiders depends upon the species of spider. For example, female brown and black widow spiders can produce 10 to 20 egg sacs, each containing 150 to 300 eggs while a Goliath birdeater lays about 100-200 eggs. Different species of spiders lay eggs in different seasons. For example, hobo spider females lay eggs in mid-September to October, while brown recluse spiders typically lay eggs between May and July.
Female spider stores their eggs in egg sacs which are made up of silk and usually white in color. Female spiders can produce a single sac to store thousands of eggs or produce multiple sacs with fewer eggs in each. Female spiders generally keep these eggs sacs in a dark and safe place and guard them against predators. Some spider species lay eggs in the egg sac and leave the eggs to their own fate. It is found that some female spiders such as female wolf spiders carry egg sacs with them to protect eggs from predators. Spider’s eggs usually take few weeks to hatch.
Spiderling: This the immature stage in which a young spider is referred to as spiderling. In some species, female spiders carry and feed these immature young spiders on their back until they are ready to survive by themselves.
Adult Stage: This last stage in which the spider becomes an adult. They become ready for mating and lay eggs to produce young ones. It is found that female spiders live longer than male spiders because male spiders usually die after mating. For example, the average lifespan of a female Goliath birdeater is 15 – 25 years while the male spiders only survive for 3 – 6 years.
How long can spiders live without food?
You will be surprised to know that a typical spider can live without eating for about 1-2 months. However, note that different species of spiders can survive for different periods of time without food. Larger species of spiders can survive for a longer period than smaller species of spiders. Spiders generally have a slower metabolism that allows them to operate at 50% lower than their size. We know that slow metabolism means low energy required for survival. Spiders spend most of their time waiting for their prey to get trapped. This hunting mechanism allows them to conserve energy. Thus, spiders can live without food for a few months because of their low metabolism and efficient hunting technique.
How long can a spider live without water?
It is a common misconception that spiders don’t drink water. Yes, spiders do drink water. However not often as we do. Brown recluse spiders can survive without water for about 10 months. Most of them fulfill their water requirement by sucking fluid out of their prey’s body. Therefore, spiders don’t have to drink water frequently.
Explore this article: do spider drinks water to know more details.
How long is a spider’s lifespan?
The spider’s lifespan depends on the species as well as on the external factors.
- Different species of spiders live for different periods of time. Some species such as southern black widow survive for 1-3 years while other species such as Goliath birdeater lives for around 15 to 25 years.
- The lifespan of the spider also varies with the sex. Female spiders generally live longer than female spiders. Male spiders usually die after mating. For example, a female Goliath birdeater (15 – 25 years) lives 4 to 5 times more than the male Goliath birdeater (3 – 6 years).
- The lifespan of spiders also gets reduced due to internal parasites such as Mermithid nematode. These parasites eat the internal tissues which affect the health of the spider.
- The survival of spiders also depends upon their predators such as hunting wasps.
- Spiders can survive for a long time without food and water. However, they still need food and water for survival. Therefore, the lack of sufficient food and water can shorten their lifespan.
How long do house spiders live?
Well, this is a tricky question. The lifespan of house spiders can vary with different regions because different species of spiders are native to different places. Depending on the region, some households can have wolf spiders while others might have sac spiders. However, most of the house spiders typically survive for 1 to 2 years. Here are some of the common house spiders and how long they live.
| House Spider Name | Lifespan |
| American House Spider | 1-2 years |
| Daddy long-legs spider (long-bodied cellar spider) | 2 years |
| Brown Recluse | 1 – 2 years |
| Jumping Spiders | 1 year |
| Wolf Spiders | 1 year |
| Hobo Spider | 1-3 years |
FAQs
How long do garden spiders live?
The garden spiders generally live for about one year. Male spiders generally die after mating while female spiders can live longer depending on the ambient conditions.
How long do tarantulas live?
On average, tarantulas can survive for 15 to 25 years. A female Goliath birdeater can live up to 25 years while a male Goliath birdeater live only 3 to 6 years. Generally, male Goliath birdeater die within a few months after mating.
How long do wolf spiders live?
On average, wolf spiders live for one year. Female wolf spiders can live longer than male spiders.
How long do jumping spiders live?
Typically a jumping spider can live up to 1 year. However, depending on species and sex, their lifespan can vary from 6 months to 3 years.
How long does a daddy long leg live?
On average, daddy long leg spiders live about 1 year. Female daddy long leg spider lives longer than male spiders. Female spiders can survive for 3 years while male spiders generally survive for 1 year.
Read more interesting questions about spiders:
