Scientists in Denmark wondered if global warming could make Greenland's wolf spiders bigger. During a ten-year study, they tracked spider sizes. In years when spring came 30 days earlier than usual, some spiders grew exoskeletons that were thicker than average, resulting in bigger bodies! In colder winters, spiders grew thinner exoskeletons. What's more, during warmer springs female spiders grew larger than the male spiders did.Photograph by Tom Uhlman/AP
As the Earth's temperature warms, bigger spiders could become the norm. Researchers aren't sure why warmer temperatures mean bigger wolf spiders. It could be because their prime hunting season is longer. Or perhaps longer summers allow the spiders to molt--shed their old exoskeletons--more often, letting grow bigger during their lifetimes. The study's co-author, Toke Høye, is pretty sure that bigger spiders will also mean MORE spiders, because larger female wolf spiders have more offspring than smaller ones.
Read more about this spider study on National Geographic News.
Watch a jumping spider video on National Geographic Kids.
that is the coolest spider i ever seen.
i like it
If the Spiders were bigger than it will be scary!
I think wolf spiders are very cool kind of spiders that is cool how they grow bigger the summer than the winter.tey also look cool
I think it's pretty amazing that wolf spiders are getting bigger. I'm guessing it's their carapace that's thickening. I have two Chilean Rose tarantulas (one is just a spiderling), so I am definitely a fan of our eight-legged friends :-)
scerry
the spider look awesome
i don't want to get close to one!
i am not going to greenland anytime soon
scary!
what if spiders get bigger then us
i like spiders i practicly live with them & it is creepy because you dont know is thay will crall in your bed other than that thay are cool
may 18 2009
i dare anyone to go to greenland and get bitten
especially you caitlovesanimals see if you love spiders enough
where is the spiners
the spider looks cool and green and green is my favorite color.
Spiders really creep me out! ):
I agree with pandagirl789!
What if the spiderz got bigger than humans and eat us ALL!!!!!!!!!!