JAY PATTERSON  PHOTOGRAPHIC
insect, spider, reptile, and amphibian photography

GALLERY OF
SPIDERS

Folding Door Spider
Antrodiates pacificus
Large image 79 kB

This spider lives in a silk lined tube that it digs in the ground. To conceal the location of it's lair during the day this spider collapses the top of the tube and draws it downward. This blocks the burrow and makes it very difficult to find. Active at night, the spider opens the top of the burrow and waits for suitable prey to wander nearby. Thought to have poor eyesight these spiders are able to sense the vibrations created by their prey, specialized hairs serve as receptors. The small dark spot on the abdomen of this spider is a remnant of the segmented bodies that spiders once possessed early in their evolutionary history.

Jumping Spider
Phidippus johnsoni
Large image 52 kB

Threat display. A jumping spider or salticid found west of the Rocky mountains. Members of this diverse group of hunting spiders are often conspicuous on warm days when they can be seen actively searching for prey. The ability to leap small distances aids them both in the capture of prey and escape from predators. Unlike many spiders, salticids posses excellent sight and will frequently turn to face an observer. Jumping spiders have developed visual cues that allow them to communicate to a limited degree. Prior to mating many species engage in a leg waving semaphore-like display that they use to signal their intention to mate rather than feast. The metallic green surface of the chelicera or fangs is clearly visible. These areas of bright colour are revealed when the pedipalps (the first pair of small "legs" on all spiders) are moved aside. It seems that like many other organisms, jumping spiders use warning colours to advertise the danger their fangs and venom present to would be predators. Although I regularly handle these spiders in my garden, some people have had moderately severe reactions from bites. Severe reactions may involve an allergic response from the bitten individual. Bites seem to occur when the spider has little choice, for example a spider webbed up in a glove has nowhere to escape to when a hand is thrust in. Allowing this spider to crawl across your hand may be safe, grasping it between two fingers may not be.

Tarantula foot closeup
Large image 53 kB

This is a close-up of the bottom surface of one of the feet of Avicularia avicularia, the Pink Toe Tarantula. Thought to have very weak eyesight, tarantulas rely on specialized hairs for sensing temperature, predators, prey, and each other. Many tarantulas will touch their prey with their footpads prior to striking, sensing minute vibrations, they also have sensory openings on their `skin' or cuticle that may perform a function similar to taste. Some of tiny hairs on their feet adhere to minute surface irregularities allowing these often robust spiders to cling to almost any surface, including glass.

Photograph Galleries Copyright ©1998 Jay Patterson

Bibliography Home Links email me, jaypattersonphotographic@shaw.ca