Name: Mara N. I have a spider in my house that is in a cocoon.
Can you please tell what it is doing? Is it laying eggs that in
turn will create more spiders? Please help. Thank you. Spiders
do not pupate in cocoons like insects, as far as I know the only
stage of a spider life cycle that includes a cocoon-like
structure is the egg case, which the adult forms around the
eggs. Yes, they will hatch into more spiders! The spider in
question may be the sac spider. "These spiders hide in silken
tubes or sacs that resemble cocoons during the day and hunt at
night. They will bite humans even when unprovoked. These bites
are rather painful, but generally not life-threatening." Thaks
Pamela! Click here to return to the Zoology Archives Update:
June 2012