The local scene, a mini glimpse

[The Snark]

Let's start with a little incongruity. Here we have your average $100 a pop housing development.


While directly across the road, a mini palace even sporting with a suit of armor guarding the door.

Complete with a couple of the worlds most incompetent guard dogs.


Heading up into the forest, this is one of my favorite times of year. The agelenopsis have virtually taken over vast swaths of the forest floor turning the place into a deadly bug gauntlet.

That tree trunk is over a foot across to give some idea of the size of these webs. The spiders aren't all that big; about 1 3/4 to 2 inch leg span.


The local method of protecting a forest. Note the orange cloth tied around the tree trunks. The trees have been ordained as monks.


And no tour is complete without a bird and it's favorite buffalo.

 

[mothore]

Where is this?

 

[Philth]

Interesting. I want more.

Later, Tom

 

[The Snark]

Maejo township, between the university agriculture areas and the forest preserve, Amphur Sansai, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
I've got a new camera I'm experimenting with. The lens appears to be crap compared to the Fuji but it's much more portable. The problem right now is the Asian brown cloud effect is so thick most the of air is well above the hazardous level. Thus my bike trips are seriously curtailed. This morning was typical: the sunrise was no sun, just a diffused dull yellow glow over the area. Sun only becomes visible around noon.

 

[Smokehound714]

Are you sure those are agelenopsis? the funnels look too small to me.


Could be asian sosippus species, instead.

 

[The Snark]

Are you sure those are agelenopsis? the funnels look too small to me.


Could be asian sosippus species, instead.

I suppose it is possible. I jumped to the conclusion of Agelenopsis as the Lyco web builder around here is so rare they haven't been properly described. Yesterday I was ogling the webs again. The funnels at the entrance averaged 1 1/2 inches. The one clearly seen in the pic is at a severe angle. BUT.... you're going to make me catch one and examine the eyes, aren't you?

 

[jthorntonwillis]

Quality work,as usual,Snark.You spoil us!

 

[The Snark]

Okay, Smokehound714. It is an Agelenopsis, Agelenidae, possibly Notiocoelotes or the genus Wehaven'tgotaroundtoityet. (I had him write that out). I was informed that many of our common spiders change species and even genera from week to week depending on which country the study is done in. Many samples have also been sent to Senkenberg which has a waiting list of 10 to 15 years.

He also mentioned that some members of the Agelenidae are so similar it takes DNA matching and electron microscopy to tell them apart and very probably most of the classifications presently recognized are wrong.
For the low down and some of the raging debate, see http://agelenidsoftheworld.myspecies.info/
Though confusion is the order of the day, they have some fantastic pictures of agelenidae private parts if you are into that sort of thing.