Friday 9 September 2011

Dock spiders - a face only a mother could love!

It watched me carefully.
open the screen on a warm fall day



Who knew?! Since our near-by bog has dried up in the August heat, this one I found on our screen. OUTDOORS!

With eight eyes and eight legs there is a symmetry to the critters.

See my finger (right) for the size!
They hunt using their sense of touch, sitting on the water in the nighttime. Birds are their main predator, and this makes sense to become nocturnal. What freaks some people out is sitting on the dock, while an irritated spider senses your footfall, and they change their location. They can bite, but not like the way the praying mantis who pinched me!

Research tells me that that sit with back legs on land, others floating on water waiting for bugs to land. Then the bugs are toast!

Dolomedes (pronounced /dɒləˈmiːdiːz/) is a genus of large spiders of the family Pisauridae. They are also known as fishing spidersraft spidersdock spiders or wharf spiders. Almost all Dolomedes species are semi-aquatic.

A fishing spider (family Pisauridae) in the genus Dolomedes. They will wander some distance from water in search for prey.




I have a few other spider photos.



darner dragonfly with spider close by!

3 comments:

Powell River Books said...

I might just fill the bog with a hose to keep him off my doorstep. Just kidding. - Margy

Jenn Jilks said...

I think he was attracted to the pond. All the critters need water. He'll help keep it clean!

Christine said...

interesting info Jenn. And I didn't know they had 8 eyes, beautiful symmetry...that's nature.