They're called Acroceridae!
The larvae of these flies develope as parasitoids in spiders (as you have witnessed)!
Interestingly, the larvae actively seeks out a host, not the adults!
Nice find and nice pictures! Sorry you had to loose a pet though!
This book may not represent the state of the art in regards to arachnology, but i believe that all informations in it are valid!
This book covers the basics of many research topics, but still it's emphasis is mainly on spider anatomy and physiology.
If you want to read about spider ecology...
I agree with Borya, the picture shows a flying Cetoniid beetle, maybe Cetonia or Protaetia sp., not a fly!
The large green area that is mistaken for eyes is the pronotum.
The Elytra are fused in Cetoniid beetles, they cover the abdomen even during flight.
Before these beetles are ready to...
Juvenile wolf spiders are good ballooners, that's how such spots are colonized! The little island is not really isolated from the surrounding land mass.
Wind dispersal is a very important mode of transportation for small spiders and and a very succesfull strategy for conquering new habitats...
Hi,
It is likely that it is infertile or the eggs died off because of a fungal infection. I've had this happen several times with wolfspiders I caught.
None off the abandoned eggsacs had developed larvae inside, when I opened them, the eggs were always in various stages of decay or covered...
Don't Pselaphidae have club-shaped antenna?
Right now I have no literature by my hand to key it out, but I think Ptinidae fits perfectly fine!
And Niptus hololeucus is a very common species and really looks like the specimen pictured...
Hi,
That's not a weevil (Curculionidae), but a Ptinidae!
Niptus hololeucus is a very common household pest and looks similar, I'm no beetle expert though, just a guess!
greets
Bernhard
The eyepattern is not really discernable on the pictuers, to much dust.
I think it has six eyes arranged in two triangles.
The pattern on the opisthosoma is very characteristic, too.
That's a Segestria sp. (Segestriidae)!
Cheers
Bernhard
Emanuele is right, it's a Tibellus sp. (Philodromidae).
It's not T. maritimus or T. oblongus, but there are several other species occurring in the USA, says platnick!
http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog/PHILODROMIDAE.html
greets
Bernhard
I don't want to press my opinion here, but this is ridiculous!
We can all agree that the spinerets are not really visible on these two pictures, so how do you rule out Agelenidae and on the other hand say it looks gnaphosidish?
I think the habitus fits and i've seen similar patterns on the...
Hallo,
Now, with the second picture i'm quite convinced that it's an Agelenid, Agelena sp. [LIST=1], note that the posterior median eyes are behind the posterior lateral eyes (recurv), in Zorids and Gnaphosids it is vice versa.
cheers
Bernhard
Toxic Collembola!
Be careful about Folsomia candida as prey for spiders!
Several studies have shown, that this species is of very low nutritional value for wolf spiders or even toxic, especially for spiderlings!
See:
Fisker EN, Toft S
Effects of chronic exposure to a toxic prey in a...
Hello,
great pics, as always!
Honestly, your pictures deserve to be printed in a book, i would buy it!
my bets are:
first picture is Araneus diadematus, second Larinioides sp.,
the Thomisidae are Misumena vatia and Thomisus onustus,
the pseudoscorpion Chelifer sp. ?
greets
Bernhard
Hello there, why not take a few seconds to register on our forums and become part of the community? Just click here.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.