Lizard versus Spider.

[yakman]

Just returned from a visit to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Thought this encounter may be of interest. Someone has identified the spider as possibly Latro tredecimguttatus.


One morning whilst walking in the valley, a movement at the edge of the track caught our eye. On closer inspection a juvenile Atlantic Lizard was found to be tangled in a spiders web. The web's owner quickly appeared and attempted to secure its capture with more silk. The lizard frantically rotated it's tail in an effort to break free, the legs and torso were firmly tangled in the web. It looked as if the lizard may wriggle free to begin with and the spider hung back waiting its chance. As the lizard paused for breath the spider managed to rush in and secure the tail and from there the result was a forgone conclusion. Resisting my wife's plea to help the lizard, we watched as the spider slowly dragged it's dinner into the base of a nearby plant.

 

[Musicwolf]

nice pics and congrats on the nice meal to the spider :clap:

 

[Vespula]

Wow. That's a beautiful Latro...

 

[davisfam]

Wowzaa, that's one interesting situation to just stumble upon.. LUCKY! LOL! Thanks soo much for sharing and GREAT pictures! :clap:

 

[Deroplatys]

I would of saved the lizard after the photo's providing it hadnt already been bit :/

 

[Treynok]

Awesome picture, but I have to disagree. Interfering with nature by taking away the spiders catch after it expended so much energy could be detrimental to the spider. They are both beautiful animals but this truly is nature taking it's course and is why it is such a great picture and such a unique moment to be able to experience.

 

[davisfam]

Awesome picture, but I have to disagree. Interfering with nature by taking away the spiders catch after it expended so much energy could be detrimental to the spider. They are both beautiful animals but this truly is nature taking it's course and is why it is such a great picture and such a unique moment to be able to experience.

We couldn't agree more.. well said

 

[KnightinGale]

Wow, a unique moment indeed. Congrats on the photo op and thanks for sharing these pics. Heh, kind of refreshing to see photos of a real encounter like this from a board member after all that set-up "nature program" spider vs. snake stuff that has been floating around.

 

[Widowman10]

i couldn't disagree that it is not 13-guttatus very nice spider.

and if ANY widow could capture a lizard, it would be a tred

they have the stickiest webs and biggest capture nets!

thanks for sharing!!

 

[revilo]

wow, spectacular pictures, really ! :clap:

at first thought, when i was reading the headline, i was thinking : oh, no again an idi.. who is playing fights with poor animals.
but this is like the others said something completly different. simply the way of nature...

ciao, oli

 

[Moltar]

Simply awesome pictures. I'm so glad this wasn't a link to some stupid bugfights video...

Latro web is some amazing stuff. I was cleaning out an enclosure that had been occupied by a L. variolus for the last couple of years and I'm always amazed at the strength of these webs. Between that and the whole "high tension" thing they do, I'm not surprised they can capture things like lizards and mice. It's still amazing to see.

 

[Michiel]

Latrodectus silk is 250 times stronger then a steel wire of the same thickness... So bye, bye lizard! It had no chance. Maybe next time, it's the spider....

 

[KnightinGale]

Hm, yes, when I was cleaning out my L. hesperus k.k. I picked up one stick and the whole thing came out in one piece. Easiest clean-up job ever. It all stayed in the same position and everything...just pull it out, put in bag. Then there was only some substrate left on the bottom.