Sex, Death and Spiders

Warning: This episode contains the unusual mating habits of spiders. Autumn is the time for spiders, and the colder months mean our eight-legged friends are searching for something vital: sex. Join arachnologist Anna Maka and author and broadcaster Lucy Cooke to uncover the fascinating and freaky sex lives of spiders and what it teaches us about evolution itself. [Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure. Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more. Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor. www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/    Watch a video of this podcast on the National Trust’s YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/@nationaltrustcharity/podcasts     Production Presenter:  Rosie Holdsworth  Producer and sound designer: Marnie Woodmeade Contributors:Lucy Cooke  Anna Maka Discover more You can find Lucy’s book Bitch: On the female of the species here. You can find out more about Anna’s work with rare diamond back spiders here. Follow us @wildtalesnt Instagram account  If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at [email protected]