To make mating less hazardous, the male nursery web spider will catch an insect, wrap it up and carry it around until he finds a female. He then presents it to her and mates with the female while she is distracted by her meal.
The female will make an egg sac and carry it around with her in her jaws until the eggs are nearly ready to hatch. She then constructs a tent-like protective nursery web and will stay to fend off predators from her young.
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The photograph of the nursery web spider on a stinging nettle leaf was taken in our garden two days ago.