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Project Noah Nature School
Family: Deinopidae
Grey/brown coloured elongated spider, body length about 3cm, laying motionless along a similarly coloured twig to avoid detection, nearby was the web with an insect wrapped neatly and tightly. These spiders catch their prey with a silken net stretched between the extremely long legs.
Variety of species found throughout Australia in various habitats. This one in dry woodland.
Spotted on Dec 29, 2013
Submitted on Jan 7, 2014
13 Comments
Thanks Mark, and the lack of clarity is probably the photographer's fault! But camouflage is the name of the game!
Neat Jemma, I was following this story with fascination, but hadn't heard the part that a spiderling was seen emerging. It seems logical that it would belong to a spider with all that silk. Can't wait to see the spider someday.
Good spotting KD. Quite hard to see stretched out on that timber.
I'll have a closer look at that, thanks Jemma. I've been finding some 'unusual' spiders and other creatures, large and small, in my travels so there's so much out there to yet discover. From experience I know it is exciting when you discover something that is new or outside the realms of what is considered 'normal' - even if it ends up being just for your eyes only, a chance sighting, an unusual snippet of knowledge.
According to the scientists ,the fences pick up mites etc so that there is food when the spiderling emerges.What was so different in this case was that a fence was built around an individual egg. usually there is a sac of eggs. They are still working on the species.
That is incredibly fascinating Jemma. Does that mean humans copied the idea of the white picket fence from nature or is nature thinking "if we can't beat 'em, join 'em"?
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/09/un...
You might find this interesting.
The latest research shows that a spiderling was seen emerging and the structure therefor was built by a spider.
Thanks Lauren. The legs do look varied in length - the spider was positioned with the net already wrapping as I approached, but it was so fast I missed the exact positioning. I imagine centre ones for wrapping (the shorter ones), one pair for holding out the net so it stays taught, and others for holding on to the branch or other stable surface.
Great picture kd and a very neat spider. The second pair of legs are very short, maybe so it has at least 2 legs useful for wrapping up the prey?
So true. Humans can be too, we just have to get back to basics again.
There reward is that they are totally self sufficient in terms of food and shelter.
They do not have to worry about paying taxes or mortgages.
I agree. Within seconds of my approach to this one, fast as lightning it scrambled and stretched flat on the twig hoping I would not see it. Each evening spiders of all types come out and weave their intricate webs for hours - just for one night - then continue the same process each night thereafter, but only if they find that site productive, if not they move to a new site. Such hard workers often for very little reward.
spiders are just amazing! Such logic and planning!!