video: juvenile harvestman (A. vittatum) eating a midge

[ecooper]

Not long ago I got some really tiny juvenile tropical harvestmen (Acromares vittatum) from Tarantula Canada. When I say tiny, I really mean it--their bodies were like heads of pins and their legs were like fine hairs. But they are growing quickly, and the largest now has a leg span of maybe 2 cm.

Contrary to what I have heard about them being omnivorous detritivores I have found them to be really quite carnivorous. I have been feeding them mainly springtails and midges. For some reason I tend to have tiny flocks of non-biting midges (the size of mosquitos) that hang around the shady side of my house. These make for a handy source of tiny insects for small mantids and the like. These little harvestmen will pounce on these midges like tiny tarantulas! This video shows one of these tiny little animals very rapidly devouring a midge.

I shot this video yesterday on my kitchen table using 3 tabletop LCD lamps. Unfortunately I didn't get the colour balance quite right so the video is a bit warm. I'd also like to use a lower ISO to get a higher resolution, but that would mean substantially brighter light, which I don't know it the critters would tolerate. I need to experiment a bit more.

Cheers,
EC


[video=youtube;dzCd_prDfUs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzCd_prDfUs[/video]

 

[NoahThomas43]

Awesome quality video! Amazing little specimen!

 

[Cavedweller]

I've never seen their mouthparts up close/in action before, thanks for sharing this incredible video!

 

[Trailblazr80]

Very cool. I just got some ornate harvestmen from another user on here, and they are cool! I give them fish flakes and dead crickets for now.

 

[Oreo]

Great video! Made me hungry

 

[ecooper]

Very cool. I just got some ornate harvestmen from another user on here, and they are cool! I give them fish flakes and dead crickets for now.

I tried fish food with mine but never saw any indication they ate it. Dead insects seem to be the preference.

I definitely need to get some ornate harvestmen...

 

[ecooper]

I just got my copy of Invertebrates Magazine in the mail which includes an article about another species of harvestman: Metagyndes innata by Chris Bailey. Very interesting article; too bad the photos aren't in colour. Great critters!

EC

 

[ecooper]

These little critters are turning out to be surprisingly aggressive feeders. Most of them will now pluck midges from a pair of forceps with their chelicerae. They are pretty cute...

Cheers,
EC

 

[The Snark]

I can't figure these things out at all. We've had one cruising the wall of our carport for about 2 months now. It runs the gauntlet of geckos including Tokays, sparassids, and a wide assortment of salticids. Close inspection reveals no weapons of mass destruction that I can detect. Maybe an outstanding personality?

 

[Smokehound714]

Some species of harvestmen are capable of excreting defensive chemicals. A few others can actually fight back, and have large chelicerae.

They can actually be quite predatory, but in general, yes, they prefer an easy meal. They like banana too

 

[The Snark]

Some species of harvestmen are capable of excreting defensive chemicals. A few others can actually fight back, and have large chelicerae.

They can actually be quite predatory, but in general, yes, they prefer an easy meal. They like banana too

I'll try the banana. Otherwise, uhhh, dude. We are talking tokays here. Industrial grade living animal garbage disposals. The largest T even built augmented by Terex<tm> axillary equipment is not going to deter the big chomp. Go get a couple of espressos, okey dokey?

 

[Smokehound714]

Oh.. I wasn't talking about geckos, was just being random lol