Your spider fix: the tunnels

in spiders •  6 years ago  (edited)

tube web.jpg

Sights like this one are very common in among the rocks over here but you will also find them in piles of rubble and old shoes left lying round will quickly be colonised inside. I have also observed them living in holes in the corners of window sills. If you drop a fly in these tunnels, a large spider will very quickly emerge to grab the fly and head back inside.

Without further ado: time to unpack a pile of stones and expose the lurker.

tunnel.jpg
deeper below the stones, silk-lined tunnel

Under the stone, mama is guarding her pink egg-sac.

hackled mesh weaver.jpg

Vidole capensis or Hackled-mesh Web Weavers are Phyxelidid spiders and this species are considered rare although my garden is full of them. They are biggish spiders, easily the size of a wolf spider but very shy and unaggressive. You see that mama spider has pulled in her legs and keeping very still in the hope that I will go away. I gently replaced the stone and apologised to her for destroying her home.

baby spider.jpg

A younger, smaller spider that was running around in the area. When it gets bigger, it will develop the typical line of markings on the abdomen that the bigger spider has.

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Spiders can live almost everywhere. This is probably the most adaptable species in nature.

I remember reading that no matter where you are on the planet, you are seldom more than 3 feet away from a spider.

That's a thought that appeals to me. I have lots and lots of spiders in my world

You are brave. Gonna have to call you the Spider lady :"-)

I can live with that

AAAAAAAAAAH!! 😱😱😱😱😱

Yessss! 🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸🕸

Very interesting insects!
I like them, it's interesting to watch them.

They are fascinating for sure

Yes, I agree!

Very good photos! You are spiders’ best friend.

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Thank you!