Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Hitchhikers

Temperature at departure = 48° F (9° C)

Once again, it is that time of year. This morning I picked up at least two. The one on my shoulder I flicked off before I even thought about bringing out the camera. Spiders aren't my favorite and I didn't like the way he was crawling towards my neck. This one was about the size of a penny. She was dangling six inches below my right handle grip and climbing towards my hand.



She was returned to the wild speedily.

3 comments:

David Hogeboom said...

Argh! Spiders! Cold chills up and down my spine. While I covet your biking trails, I'm not hip to the spiders. It's a tough balance, but I'll take rabid motorists.

David Hogeboom said...

See:

http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/arthopo/mospider/kinds.htm#anchor871075

Triangulate Orb Weaver
Verrucosa arenata

Typical Orb Weaver Spiders, Family Araneidae

Late summer and fall woodland hikers can count on walking into this spider's web. The triangulate orb weaver's habits are similar to those of the spiny-bellied spider, Micrathena Gracilis. Its woodland web is small and delicate, and its diet consists of tiny flying insects. This orb weaver probably is less common than the spiny-bellied spider, but it is just as strikingly colored and shaped. The carapace is glossy chocolate-brown and small compared to the similarly colored, triangular abdomen. A triangle of color almost completely covers the top of the abdomen, resembling a white, pink or yellow flattened drop of shiny glue. The females average 9mm, and the males are slightly smaller.

This species is Missouri's only orb weaver that rests centered in its web head-up instead of head-down.

Missouri distribution: presumed to occur statewide in woodlands.

Warren T said...

Cool! Yep, looks like it triangulated on me...