Sunday 31 August 2008

A Sparassid At Last!

Well, at least a Neosparassid!

This "Badge Huntsman" was on my sliding door when I returned from annoying a couple of amphibians with my camera last night. The weather has warmed up and more like spring so I imagine spiders will become a little more active now.

This one did not appear to be fully grown but rode the door backwards and forwards as I came in and out from several missions, including rounding up a couple of logs to keep the fire going during the night.

Neosparassids can be identified easily by the black shield (usually with 2 white dots) on the abdomen but the pattern of the shield may differ between species. They are also known as "Shield Huntsmen"

Just so you know, this is the only way I will be looking at the underparts of Huntsmen. Them on one side of glass and me on the other! :-)

(Click to enlarge)

4 comments:

Mosura said...

Very convenient that it was on glass allowing a shot from underneath. Saves trying get get it on to the glass yourself :-)

Junior Lepid said...

LOL - that's something none of them have to fear from me, Mosura. If they oblige then I will oblige with an image of them as a historical record of their very being! :-)

Duncan said...

With the slightly warmer weather spiders are showing up here too JL, tiny little orbies and the odd leaf curler.

Junior Lepid said...

Duncan, I saw a rather nice flower spider the oter day, but no Orbs yet.

It's freezing here today! :-(