'I'm always looking for the Hows and the Whys and the Whats,' said Muskrat, 'That is why I speak as I do. You've heard of Muskrat's Much-in-Little, of course?'
'No,' said the child. 'What is it?'
- The Mouse and his Child. Russell Hoban.

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Sunday, 17 April 2016

Vagrant Spider (Uliodon albopuntatus)

Well, everyone at the party was morbidly fascinated to see the large male New Zealand vagrant spider  that came into the house last night, and, became suddenly pleased to just be putting up with mozzies outside, instead of this inside.  
I think this is a male, as his body is relatively slim and his legs are long. He spanned about 5 cm. I love his orangey pink pedipalps. He probably came inside looking for a mate as this is a common behaviour in Autumn.  He uses his palps to taste and smell, and also, through a special bulb that develops on the palps, to transfer sperm to the female during mating.


You can see his orange pedipalps clearly here.

A good image to show some of his eyes.  I think I counted eight altogether.

10 comments:

  1. Alden Smith17.4.16

    This post would have been far worse visually than the last one if I had not learnt to half close my eyes and make the images very fuzzy as I scrolled down - something I learnt to do when watching Frodo Baggins' escape from the giant spider Shelob in Cirith Ungol in the film Lord of the Rings.

    But having said that, when I see a big spider in the house I catch it in a container and let it go outside (something to do with Buddhist ideas about sentient beings).

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    Replies
    1. Kate7.5.16

      I am sorry to cause you potential distress Alden. I am glad you shared that strategy. It IS a lot like Shelob, isn't it? Others remarked that too. He was gently placed some metres from the house under the banana.

      Delete
  2. ADRIAN17.4.16

    A pair of wonderful spiders. It will soon be insect season and I will be out looking for them.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kate17.4.16

    I look forward to seeing your discoveries Adrian.

    ReplyDelete
  4. MLM24717.4.16

    Brilliant. I love this sort of information. And you obviously have a good attitude to all living beings.

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    Replies
    1. Kate7.5.16

      Thanks Louise. I think I have an unusually kind attitude to tiny critters… But I was bitten by a spider (a different one - a white tail) a couple of days after I wrote this, so it's obviously, but sadly not generally known amongst the aforementioned tiny critters.

      Delete
  5. Kirsten20.4.16

    Beatyfull pictures.

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    Replies
    1. Kate7.5.16

      Thanks Kirsten! I was inordinately proud of them.

      Delete
  6. Graham Edwards1.5.16

    I thought I'd commented on this Kate. Whilst I'm not keen on sharing space with spiders I do enjoy photographing them. These photos are superb.

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