Zebra spider is fooled
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Here’s a video shot by enterprising spider-enthusiast Cat, showing a tiny but hungry zebra spider in action. As it’s so weeny you are most strongly advised to select the HD version and fullscreen option if you’re able to, as you’ll see much more detail.
This tiny drama is a great insight into the world of the hunting spider. Clever Cat managed to get it on a white background – it’s very rarely so easy to see this kind of interaction. One thing I noticed is how these little things really do have 360° vision – you’ll see quite clearly that at one point the spider noticed the fly when it was facing directly away from it. Also, look out for the ‘pouncing posture’ – just like a cat getting ready to jump on its prey, the jumping spider gets ready for a jump with a characteristic pose. And the anthropomorphism? I’m as guilty as the next frog.
Thanks for your comments. I filmed the spider in my bathroom; it was on my white glossed windowsill. If Charlie thinks it’s a car bonnet then my skill with the paintbrush must be pretty awesome!
I also filmed this scytodes and photographed the tegeneria in this post in my bathroom. It’s quite the wildlife haven!
re wing mirrors – also a nice place to hide behind the mirror. I enjoyed watching a spider coming out and grabbing a fly wrapping it up and taking it back to its lair while I was waiting in a car park once.
Charlie – re car wing mirrors – where else could spiders get meals flung into their webs at 70mph? Worth the occasional web loss? 😀
Spiders are somewhat stealth even in open spaces. Could rival a puma in its technique. Very interesting video, thank you.
Bill:www.wildramblings.com
what always makes me wonder (and I am presuming that that was a car bonnet in the video), is why car wing mirrors seem so appealing to spiders especially when you see the spiders hanging on for dear life when you are zipping up and down the motorway. I am sure that if my ‘home’ took off a 70mph every day for a while I would seriously consider relocating.
Reminds me of these photos I snapped of house spiders a while ago:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=225443&id=621216513