Egg sac is a silken case or capsule containing the eggs of a female spider.
Spiders lay their eggs in egg sacs. These sacs are made out of woven silk and help to protect the eggs and maintain the right humidity.
Spider egg sacs vary greatly in size, shape, and colour ( most of them are cream, brown, or white )
The egg shape depends on the spider species, some are:
- round ball,
- a disc with a rounded part in the middle
- squishy pillow
- fluffy mass of silk
The egg sac silk protects the eggs against physical damage and excessive drying, wetting or heating, as well as provides a shield against predators like ants and birds
One egg sac can have 4 to 600 eggs
When the eggs hatch, they are known as spiderlings. These spiderlings are usually small and pale in colour.
The eggs of many spiders are glutinous and stick together allowing them to be laid in a continuous stream into the partly built silk egg sac
Photos was taken at Thomson Nature Park – Jan 2023
Reference:
https://australian.museum/learn/animals/spiders/egg-sacs-spiderlings-and-dispersal/
