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Diving Bell (Argyroneta aquatica)

The Diving Bell Spider is super unique! Imagine a spider that spends most of its life underwater, whether it’s resting, hunting, or even laying eggs. The only time it comes up is to get some fresh air. This cool spider calls parts of Europe and Asia its home. Keep reading for amazing facts about them!

Scientific Classification

Diving Bell Spider

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

  • Size: They are exceptional when it comes to size as males being 10mm to 15mm long are approximately 30% larger than their female counterparts who have a body length of 8mm to 12mm.
  • Color: They are light or dark brown in color, while their abdomen has a velvety appearance. When underwater they have a silvery hue mostly because of the air bubble trapped in the hairs surrounding their legs and abdomen.
  • Other Characteristic Features: The males have longer and slender front legs than the females which gives them a stronger diving ability.
Diving Bell Spider Size

Eggs

A female Diving Bell Spider lays a clutch of 30 to 70 eggs, carefully housed within an egg sac.

Spiderlings

After hatching, the spiderlings remain in the care of their mother, staying with her in the aquatic sanctuary until they mature and are ready to venture out on their own.

The Web

Their web is unique as they weave a silk bubble that is a dome–shaped amidst the underwater vegetation known as a diving bell. The egg sac is also constructed by the female spider within this bell.

Diving Bell Spider Web

Are Diving Bell Spiders Venomous?

Yes, Diving Bell Spiders have venom. But for humans, it’s not very strong. They use their venom mostly to catch underwater bugs for food.

Can Diving Bell Spiders Bite?

They can bite, but it’s not common. Though they are not known to cause much harm to humans, the diving bell spiders have a painful bite which might result in mild fever, vomiting, localized pain, and inflammation that would subside in a few days.

Ecological Importance and Behavior of Diving Bell Spider 

The Diving Bell spider plays a vital role in aquatic ecosystems, helping control populations of aquatic insects and mosquito larvae. This not only contributes to the balance of these ecosystems but also aids in the reduction of mosquito-borne diseases. Their unique behavior and adaptation to an underwater lifestyle demonstrate the incredible diversity and resilience of arachnids.

Natural Predators: Despite their aquatic prowess, Diving Bell Spiders are not without threats. Fish and frogs are common predators, showcasing the intricate predator-prey dynamics in their aquatic habitats.

Prey-Predator Dynamics: As predators of aquatic insects, Diving Bell Spiders are integral to maintaining ecological balance. At the same time, they serve as prey for larger aquatic animals, illustrating the spider’s crucial role in the food web.

Relationship with Humans: While encounters with humans are rare due to their aquatic habitat, the Diving Bell Spider’s role in controlling mosquito populations indirectly benefits human communities, showcasing the interconnectedness of all living beings.

Diving Bell Spider Picture

Quick Facts

Other NamesWater spider
LifespanOne year
DistributionThroughout Europe including the British Isles, as well as northern parts of Asia including countries of Russia, Turkey, Japan, Caucasus, Korea, China, and Iran
HabitatUnderwater, mostly in ponds, marshes, eutrophic lakes, swamps, and slow-moving streams
Common PredatorsFish and frogs
Diet Aquatic insects, and mosquito larvae
Water Spider

Did You Know

  • The appearance of this species resulted in their genus name Argyroneta, where argyros in the Greek language means silver and neta obtained from neo (the verb) stands for spin, thus translating to “spinner of silver”.
  • The females are smaller because they have larger bells and most of their energy goes into building and maintaining them.
  • The diving bell of these spiders that they weave serves as their gills, absorbing the oxygen from the water the moment the spider inhales it. In fact, the bell is so efficient in exchanging gases that oxygen can even be extracted when the water is stagnant.

In conclusion, the Diving Bell Spider stands as a testament to the adaptability and diversity of spiders, challenging our perceptions and highlighting the wonders of the arachnid world.

The Diving Bell Spider is super unique! Imagine a spider that spends most of its life underwater, whether it’s resting, hunting, or even laying eggs. The only time it comes up is to get some fresh air. This cool spider calls parts of Europe and Asia its home. Keep reading for amazing facts about them!

Diving Bell Spider

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

  • Size: They are exceptional when it comes to size as males being 10mm to 15mm long are approximately 30% larger than their female counterparts who have a body length of 8mm to 12mm.
  • Color: They are light or dark brown in color, while their abdomen has a velvety appearance. When underwater they have a silvery hue mostly because of the air bubble trapped in the hairs surrounding their legs and abdomen.
  • Other Characteristic Features: The males have longer and slender front legs than the females which gives them a stronger diving ability.
Diving Bell Spider Size

Eggs

A female Diving Bell Spider lays a clutch of 30 to 70 eggs, carefully housed within an egg sac.

Spiderlings

After hatching, the spiderlings remain in the care of their mother, staying with her in the aquatic sanctuary until they mature and are ready to venture out on their own.

The Web

Their web is unique as they weave a silk bubble that is a dome–shaped amidst the underwater vegetation known as a diving bell. The egg sac is also constructed by the female spider within this bell.

Diving Bell Spider Web

Are Diving Bell Spiders Venomous?

Yes, Diving Bell Spiders have venom. But for humans, it’s not very strong. They use their venom mostly to catch underwater bugs for food.

Can Diving Bell Spiders Bite?

They can bite, but it’s not common. Though they are not known to cause much harm to humans, the diving bell spiders have a painful bite which might result in mild fever, vomiting, localized pain, and inflammation that would subside in a few days.

Ecological Importance and Behavior of Diving Bell Spider 

The Diving Bell spider plays a vital role in aquatic ecosystems, helping control populations of aquatic insects and mosquito larvae. This not only contributes to the balance of these ecosystems but also aids in the reduction of mosquito-borne diseases. Their unique behavior and adaptation to an underwater lifestyle demonstrate the incredible diversity and resilience of arachnids.

Natural Predators: Despite their aquatic prowess, Diving Bell Spiders are not without threats. Fish and frogs are common predators, showcasing the intricate predator-prey dynamics in their aquatic habitats.

Prey-Predator Dynamics: As predators of aquatic insects, Diving Bell Spiders are integral to maintaining ecological balance. At the same time, they serve as prey for larger aquatic animals, illustrating the spider’s crucial role in the food web.

Relationship with Humans: While encounters with humans are rare due to their aquatic habitat, the Diving Bell Spider’s role in controlling mosquito populations indirectly benefits human communities, showcasing the interconnectedness of all living beings.

Diving Bell Spider Picture

Quick Facts

Other NamesWater spider
LifespanOne year
DistributionThroughout Europe including the British Isles, as well as northern parts of Asia including countries of Russia, Turkey, Japan, Caucasus, Korea, China, and Iran
HabitatUnderwater, mostly in ponds, marshes, eutrophic lakes, swamps, and slow-moving streams
Common PredatorsFish and frogs
Diet Aquatic insects, and mosquito larvae
Water Spider

Did You Know

  • The appearance of this species resulted in their genus name Argyroneta, where argyros in the Greek language means silver and neta obtained from neo (the verb) stands for spin, thus translating to “spinner of silver”.
  • The females are smaller because they have larger bells and most of their energy goes into building and maintaining them.
  • The diving bell of these spiders that they weave serves as their gills, absorbing the oxygen from the water the moment the spider inhales it. In fact, the bell is so efficient in exchanging gases that oxygen can even be extracted when the water is stagnant.

In conclusion, the Diving Bell Spider stands as a testament to the adaptability and diversity of spiders, challenging our perceptions and highlighting the wonders of the arachnid world.