Fun Hacklemesh Weaver Facts For Kids

The hacklemesh weaver (Callobius bennetti) is a spider that is typically found in northern Europe, and in recent years, in regions of eastern United States. This species of spiders is characterized by the lighter colored unique pattern that can be spotted on top of their oval-shaped bodies. Like most spiders, they have eight legs and eight eyes. Another way of identifying this species of spiders is through the untidy web that they weave. The web is typically messy-looking and has a tunnel-like feature which is designed to capture and eat prey at high speed.

Their legs reach a length of about 12 in (30.4 cm) and males of this species also have a pair of rather intimidating fangs. A female hacklemesh weaver grows to have a larger body than its male counterpart and also is more aggressive than the latter. These spiders are typically found in damp areas such as basements of houses, crevices in rocks, and between the barks of trees during summer or spring seasons.

If you are not an arachnophobe and would love to read about some more fascinating spiders, make sure to check out the false widow spider and green lynx spider here at Kidadl!

‍

What type of animal is a hacklemesh weaver?

The hacklemesh weaver spider of the family Amaurobiidae is a spider that is usually spotted in the dark, damp corners of houses with their mesh-like webs.

What class of animal does a hacklemesh weaver belong to?

This rather scary creature belongs to the class of arachnids, much like a spotted orb-weaver spider or a brown recluse spider.

How many hacklemesh weavers are there in the world?

There is no conclusive evidence as to how many of these spiders there are in the world. However, it is safe to say that their numbers are not declining and should make you consider pest control.

Where does a hacklemesh weaver live?

You may come across this spider if you happen to be taking a walk around a damp park with a lot of rocks. Hacklemesh weaver spiders set their webs between rocks, under the bark of a tree, or in the damp basement of a house during the winter or spring months.

What is a hacklemesh weaver's habitat?

While this species was originally native to only the northern parts of Europe, they were later brought to and can now be found in the eastern parts of the United States.

Who do hacklemesh weavers live with?

This spider species is not known to be particularly sociable. The male spider can easily be spotted during the breeding months when it roams around in search of a female. Apart from this, these spiders can hardly be found in large packs of their own kind or with other species of arachnids. Their aggressive nature also ensures that no creature is in the same society like theirs.

How long does a hacklemesh weaver live?

A female Callobius bennetti spider can live up to two years. However, the male of this species has a much shorter lifespan. The male hacklemesh weaver spider dies after mating which means that they hardly ever reach the age of a year.

How do they reproduce?

This species of spiders are egg-layers. The female spider lays its eggs near its web and covers the eggs with any debris that are available nearby. The mother spider is also very protective and is usually at its most aggressive when the eggs are in question. They are prone to bite anyone that approaches the web.

The male, on the other hand, dies right after mating which is a common phenomenon in arachnids.

What is their conservation status?

According to the IUCN, the conservation status of the hacklemesh weaver spider stands at Not Evaluated. This means that their habitat or life expectancy of this non-venomous species is facing no immediate threat.

What do hacklemesh weavers look like?

Hacklemesh weaver spiders can easily be identified through their blackish-brown, oval-shaped bodies, and huge fangs. Apart from this, these pests also have an unmistakable chevron pattern on the top of their bodies in a lighter shade of brown or gray. They have eight legs and eight eyes which paints a rather scary picture. Their abdomen also has lighter color. The pattern of their webs can also serve as an easy identifier, since they are so messy and seemingly unkempt.

The female Callobius bennetti is much larger and much more aggressive than the male. When attacked or approached, it does not hide. Instead, it lurches from its dark corner in rather dangerous aggression.

How cute are they?

With its eight eyes, hairy body, and gigantic fangs, it is rather tough to think of a hacklemesh weaver as a cute animal. If you ask if it is scary, yes.

How do they communicate?

The mode of communication that hacklemesh weaver spiders use is rather interesting. These scary pests communicate through pheromones which is a chemical that they can secrete and understand. This method is mostly used by males to find females for mating. They can also communicate through touch and from deciphering the pheromone signals that a spider might leave in its silken thread.

How big is a hacklemesh weaver?

The hacklemesh weaver spider is neither too large nor too small. In the case of females, they have a leg span of 0.5 in (1.27 cm) which is at least 10 times smaller than a tarantula.

How fast can hacklemesh weavers move?

While there are no conclusive studies regarding the exact speed at which these small but scary creatures can move on their eight legs, hacklemesh weavers are known to be extremely quick to eat an insect once it is tangled in its web which suggests that they are fairly fast.

How much does a hacklemesh weaver weigh?

The exact weight of this species is not known. However, with the tiny size that they stand at, how heavy could they be, right?

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are a few features that help us in distinguishing between male and female hacklemesh weavers. A female grows to be longer, wider, and much more aggressive than its male counterpart. However, the two sexes are not assigned different names. We refer to them as female hacklemesh weavers and male hacklemesh weavers.

What would you call a baby hacklemesh weaver?

Like all spiders, the baby hacklemesh weaver is called a spiderling.

What do they eat?

Hacklemesh weavers, like other spiders, depend mainly on insects for their food. Any insect that gets tangled in their lace-like web is quickly pounced upon and eaten. Some of these insects can be moths, grasshoppers and, butterflies.

Are they poisonous?

The Callobius bennetti is not venomous enough to prove fatal to humans. However, a bite may cause you extreme pain, chills and, nausea. It is best to maintain a safe distance from these spiders in order to avoid any such mishap.

Would they make a good pet?

Given their aggressive nature and mildly harmful venom, they cannot be considered a good option in case you are looking to have a spider as a pet. However, you can definitely have a tarantula such as the Mexican red-knee tarantula as a pet since they have a much more docile nature.

Did you know...

Hacklemesh weavers are quite easily confused with brown recluses. However, while all North American spiders, including brown recluses, are poisonous, a hacklemesh weaver's venom is not.

Another interesting fact to note is that male hacklemesh weavers die right after they mate.

Are hacklemesh weaver bites dangerous?

Callobius bennetti, especially the female of this species, is known to be quite aggressive. When they sense any attack or threat to their family, instead of retreating, females approach the attacker and pounce on them with the intention to give a dangerous bite. While the hacklemesh weaver bite venom is not fatal to humans, a few cases have been recorded where the victims underwent severe pain and pain.

Why are they called hacklemesh weavers?

The hacklemesh weaver spider gets their name from the mesh-like fashion in which they weave their webs. The web of this brown-colored pest is usually very messy and has a lace-like appearance.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other arthropods from our whip spider facts and the southern house spider facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Hacklemesh weaver coloring pages.