Kloof Conservancy BioGuide - Kite Spider
Size 8 - 10 mm
Lifespan This species of spider does not live very long – approximately 3months
The common species occurring in Krantzkloof are versicolor which have yellow and red abdomen. Occasionally you may come across the species sanguinolenta which have a white and red abdomen
Kite spiders commonly build their webs across paths at a height of approximately 1,8m.
They eat mainly insects which are trapped in their webs. As spiders cannot eat solids, the internal organs of their prey have to be liquidised. The spider pumps enzymes from its mouth through the fang puncture holes to create a soup which it can drink.
Reproduction usually takes place the spring following the winter when they hatched. Females die after producing an egg mass, and males die six days after a complete cycle of sperm induction to the female.
Distributed from central and east Africa to Kwazulu Natal.
The kite spider tends to inhabit areas such as woodland edges and shrubby gardens. These spiders are most common in the winter months.
Many species of Southern African spiders are threatened due to two major factors viz. habitat destruction and the pet trade – yes some people like spiders as pets! Habitat destruction is relevant within the context of our area as it represents a threat to burrowing spiders and scorpions because many of these creatures that live in burrows in the ground are adapted to narrow ranges of substrate. This means that habitat destruction through development devastates populations.
Kite spiders are very common on many of the paths in the reserve and in particular along the Molweni River.
There are many other species of spider found in the reserve and the most commonly seen after the Kite Spiders are the Bark Spiders and the Golden Orb Spiders.
Spiders (order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae (mouth) with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms. Spiders are found worldwide on every continent except for Antarctica, and have become established in nearly every habitat with the exception of air and sea colonization. As of 2008, approximately 40,000 spider species, and 109 families have been recorded by taxonomists.
Usayizi 8 -10 mm
Ukuphila Loluhlobo lolwembu aluphili isikhathi eside kakhulu silinganiselwa kuzinyanga ezintathu.
Umumo ngokongiwa Kuncane
Izilwembu zasemini zinesigaxa sobulwembu. Lokhu kwenzeka ezindaweni kakhulu ezinokushisa kanye nezinesiqalo sokushisa, nezinhlobo ezine eNingizimu Afrika. Ulwembu luncane, 8-10mm, luyakhanya ngebala esithunzini esi khilimu, esiphuzi, esibomvu kanye nesimnyama. Isisu siqinile (njengobumba) emaleleni amane kanye nasemathambeni angemuva amabili, iphahla lesibili lide kakhulu elokuqala lifishane.
Uhlobo olujwalekile olubekwe eKranzkloof inomudwa ophuzi nobovu esiswini. Ngezinye izikhathi ungaqhamukela kuloluhlobo oluthanda igazi olunesisu esimhlophe nesibovu.
Lolulwembu lujwayele ukwakha abulwembu ngaphesheya kwendlela ukuphakama okucishe kube 1,8m
Adla kakhulu izinambuzane ezibambeka olwembini. Ulwembu aluyidli into eqinile, izitho zangapha kathi zezinambuzane zidinga ukunicibikaliswa. Ulwembu lufutha inyama kusuka emlonyeni kuya embobeni edalwa izinyo elide ukwakha isobho elizophuzeka.
Ukuzala kujwayele ukuthatha indawo kusukela kwintwasa busika kulandele ubusika uma esechamiselwe. Awesifazane ayafa emva kokuchamisela iqanda, awesilisa ayafa emva kwezinsuku eziyisithupha emva kokuqeda umzukiswane wokufaka imbewu kowesifazane.
Kwahlulela kusukela maphakathi kanye naseMpuma Afrika kuya KwaZulu Natal.
Ulwembu luthanda ukuhlala ezindaweni ezifana nasemaphethelweni okhuni nasezingadini ezingcolile. Lezilwembu zijwayeleke kakhulu ezi nyangeni zasebusika.
Izinhlobo eziningi zezilwembu ezise Ningizimu Afrika ziphazanyiswa izimo ezimbili ezinkulu, ukuphazamiseka kwendawo yokuhlala nokusebenza kwezilwane yebo abanye abantu bathanda izilwembu njengezilwane Ukuphazamiseka kokuhlala kuqondene nendawo yethu njengobo kumele ukusaba ukuphoseka kwezilwembu kanye nofezela emgodini ngoba eziningi zalezilwane zihlala emogodini ephansi ukufanekisela ukuhlela okuncane emzimbeni. Lokhu kusho ukuthi ukuphazamiseka kwendawo yokuhlala nokuthuthuka okuchitha abantu.
Izilwembu zijwayelekile ezindleleni eziningi zezokongiwa kakhulu emfuleni iMolweni. Kunezinhlobo eziningi zezilwembu ezitholakala kwezokongiwa kanti ezijwayele ukubonakala kakhulu emva kwama kite spiders, ama bark spiders kanye nama golden orb spiders.
Izilwembu ziphefumula umoya ayizilwane ezinemile nze (ewu 8) isishangalombili, kanye nomlomo onezinyo elide elijova ubuthi. Kunohlelo olukhulukazi lwalezilwane kanti lusesigabeni sesikhombisa ohlelweni seluphelele kungafani nawo wonke amanye amaqembu okuphilayo. Izilwembu zitholakala emhlabeni wonke umhlaba nakuzozonke izingxenye zamazwe ngaphande kwase Antarctica, eliba nokusunguleka cisho kuyo yonke indawo yokuhlala ngaphandle kokubusa okunomoya nolwandle. Njengo 2008, cisho 40,000 wezinhlobo zolwembu kanye nemindeni engu 109 eqoshwe (taxonomists).