_MG_0331 peacock spider Maratus splendens by Jurgen Otto
Peacock spiders are some of the most fabulous creatures around. They’re tiny, only about 5 mm (roughly 0.2 inches) in size and in the wild can only be found in eastern parts of Australia. While the females and the young of both sexes are a boring brown, the full grown males are something completely different. They have colourful flaps extending from their abdomen that they use to entice the females.
But what makes them even more fabulous is their mating behavior. The males lift the colourful fans up for the female to see and start dancing to impress the female. If two male spiders should come across each other while trying to find a mate, they’ll have a dance off! Now tell me that’s not the most fabulous thing you’ve heard today. And just because I can, I’ll leave you with a video of dancing spiders.
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