Spiders, being cold-blooded invertebrates, cannot survive in the cold weather, and their body temperature changes with the environment. Over the years, the spiders have found ways to overcome these difficulties and survive. While some species handle the winter months by staying dormant, others produce an antifreeze compound for winter survival.
An adult spider can sense when the winter is coming, so it takes precautionary measures by mating and then laying its eggs during the late summer or early fall. Since its eggs can freeze and get destroyed by cold temperatures, a female spider looks for a safe, dark, secluded place to lay its eggs. Some spider eggs do not hatch until the weather gets warmer, while other eggs hatch during the winter months, with the spiderlings living together in their egg sac.
Some spiders, such as the Yellow Garden Spider and North American Black Spider, live just one season and die when the winter arrives. There are some spiders, however, which can survive in subzero temperatures. These include the crab spiders and sac spiders. When it gets cold, spiders produce an antifreeze-like compound, containing protein and glycol, which helps in lowering the temperature at which their body freeze.
Most of the spider species of the temperate regions stay dormant in the winter and hide below rock piles or litter of leaves. They slow down their metabolism and draw their legs close to the body to conserve moisture and heat. These invertebrates can live for months without food but will eat if they get the opportunity, meaning they are not genuinely hibernating. Even when the ground is covered with snow, spiders can maintain a steady body temperature around 0 °C and remain comparatively warmer than the surroundings.
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