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Asked by Cheryl. Answered by John Acorn.
Most spiders live about a year. Many spend the winter as partly grown spiderlings, then emerge in the spring and fatten up to become adults. Then, they mate and lay eggs, which hatch in summertime. Not all spiders have this life history, but it is common in Canada. The longest lived spiders are probably tarantulas. I have a pet rose-haired tarantula that I got about 15 years ago when a petshop in town went out of business — I couldn't resist a $10 tarantula. The spider was a full adult when I got her, and she has only shed her skin once in the last 15 years. I would guess that she is at least 20 years old, and that this is not a record!Got a question about your wild neighbours? Ask us!