Lynx Spider (female)

Description:

This is a female Lynx Spider, Oxyopes javanus.

Habitat:

Spotted in the farm on Tropical Whiteweed (Ageratum conyzoides Linn.) known in the Philippines by various names in many dialects. In our local dialect, this plant is called Salunay. Plant information - http://stuartxchange.com/Bulak.html

Notes:

For several days, most of the creatures in my spottings have been found on Mango trees or in a large patch of Tropical Whiteweed in the farm. So the habitat looks rather repetitive. The reason for this is that we are experiencing a very severe dry season, this year, and most of the local grasses and foliage have become more severely parched than usual. When this happens, the local wildlife has to adapt or perish. Many creatures have taken to the foliage of Mango trees which are fairly deep rooted and can still access the (deeper-than-usual) ground water. There is one part of the farm which is not suitable for cultivation and is always allowed to grow wild. The dominant plant species there is Ageratum conyzoides - Tropical Whiteweed which is very hardy and is still able to support many insects (and their predators). However, there is always a bright side. The rains are just a few weeks away.