Defining Characteristics:

• Dwarf species, growing to a leg span of 1.5 inches
• Known for their cute faces, tiny eyes and bright coloration of the adult male
• Semi-arboreal, but not adept at climbing smooth surface

Name: Eresus walckenaeri is commonly known as the Greek Ladybird Spider. This species was named after entomologist and arachnologist, Charles Athanase Walckenaer.

Recommended Enclosure Size & Setup: Eresus walckenaeri a terrestrial species. The surface area of the enclosure should be no less than two times the spider's diagonal leg span in one direction, and three times the diagonal leg span in the other.

The enclosure should be tall enough to accommodate 1 inch of substrate for slings and 2+ inches for adults. ABG mix, coco cradle, and Dig-It are all good substrate options for this species, but our Pet Bug Team prefers ABG all the way!

We recommend against allowing your terrestrial spider more than two times their diagonal leg span as head space above their substrate, as a fall from any higher could result in serious injury.

They will benefit from a variety of terrarium furniture (cork bark, manzanita wood, etc.), as well as foliage (live or artificial) to climb on and to hide behind. Live plants can be beneficial to air quality.

Temperature Range (°F): This species thrives in the mid 70s to mid 80s, so a temperature of 75 degrees is ideal. Temperatures regularly dipping below 65 degrees, or spiking above 90 degrees should be avoided.

Humidity: These spiders thrive in an arid environment, so the recommended ambient humidity should stay between 30% and 50%. This can be achieved by making sure the substrate is always mostly dry. 

The enclosure sides and decor should be spritzed lightly around 2 times a week to provide your spiderling droplets to drink from, but do not spray your spider directly.

Size: At the time of sale, this animal will be at least 1/8 of an inch . Females can grow up to be 1.5 inches, and typically the males are a bit smaller.

We use diagonal leg span to measure our spiders.

Age: Before making this species available to our customers, we ensure that they are well-established. This means our spiders are generally molted to a minimum of third instar and will have hatched two to three months prior to being listed for sale.

For spiders that we have not produced in house, we like to get two to three solid feedings in as well as the aforementioned minimums. They go through a 2 week minimum quarantine process to ensure the health of the animal.

For this species, the average lifespan is 2-3 years in males, and 4-5 years in females when provided an adequate environment and diet.

Feeding: At the time of sale, this animal is eating 1/2 inch crickets cut in half, once a week. You can also offer melanogaster fruit flies.

Remove uneaten prey items after 24 hours as these will begin to decompose and attract phorid flies.

Never attempt to feed a freshly molted spider less than a week after their molt to prevent injury to the spider. Depending on the spider's age, the hardening process could take 48 hours to 1 week.

Sexing: Due to their age, Eresus walckenaeri sold by Josh’s Frogs are unsexed.   

Coloration/Patterning: As spiderlings, Eresus walckenaeri are fairly uniform black. As they start to mature, females of this bloodline develop a pretty orange ring on their abdomen. The males develop a bright red patch with black spots on their abdomens, similar to a ladybug pattern.

Social Behavior: Eresus walckenaeri are not a sociable animal and should be housed as individuals. Attempts at cohabitation will likely result in cannibalism.

Natural Range: Eresus walckenaeri are native to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Links of Interest:

• Arachnoboards: a community of spider enthusiasts that will be able to or have already answered almost any question you can think of with regards to arachnids.