Friday, November 12, 2010

Daring Jumping Spider

If you don't like spiders, skip this post.

Yesterday when I was out opening gates for the boys, I came across a rather large black spider with white spots eating a rather large brown spider.

The black-and-white one is called a Daring Jumping Spider. Apparently they're quite common here. And if I'd known when I was taking pictures that they can jump 30 times their body length, I would not have been holding the camera this close to the spider.

Not sure what the brown spider is, but they only come out at night and build very large webs. The spider - and the web - are usually gone by morning, only to be back the next night. We call them "the night crew".

Now, go look at pictures of kittehs or something to get the icky spiders out of your mind. :)

2 comments:

  1. Spiders aren't icky, spiders are COOL!

    BTW, we have the brown web-spinners, too. I love watching them build their webs in the dusk. I'm pretty sure they are a type of orbweaver spider, possibly the arabesque orbweaver.
    http://bugsinthenews.info/?p=1431

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  2. Wow, that description of the Arabesque Orb Weaver sounds exactly like our "night crew" spiders! That must be what they are. Thank you for solving the mystery!

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