Spider Kiting

[Crysta]

Hey there, well today I found something new for me - this species of spider that kites. It's a pretty large spider to do this, I would have expected this if they were slings, but these are 'large' juveniles! They do it in groups a few inches from eachother as well! Although when one tries to budge the other spider off its 'good leaf' the owner of the leaf knock the guy off my pepper plant. lol

Any idea what they are? Some type of sac spider?

I also included a video, youtube wouldn't let me upload it, so here it is on photobucket. You can see the main spider, and two other spiders blurred out in the background.



From the photoshoot haha Some 'expression' they have lol

Here is the last picture; the clouds hid the sun and low and behold unwashed out colors! reminds me of a little cute obt.

Also, size reference on my itty bitty hand lol

Enjoy!
Crysta

edit:
some more
I thought Id include the close up of the spinnerets! Opening wide to release silk.

and a pretty

 

[jsloan]

These are wolf spiders, and based on the ones I've found here are likely Trochosa sp. The young ones resemble adult females, with some variations in the "dark bars" inside the median stripe on the carapace. This batch is too young to identify to species.

Nice to find them ballooning like that! Much wind that day?

 

[BQC123]

You always have such awesome photos. I really love your macro work!

 

[Malhavoc's]

were you able to witness any actualy getting to flight? they do seem very large to manage such a feat, and what truely astonishes me is I can make out three on that same plant doing it, as if they have been in such close proximity since hatching, its the same sight you'd expect to find of spiders fresh out, not juvies in the least. great find.

edit: the behavior of spiders that are primary early morning and evening active, out in broad day light in balooning on what appears to be a windless/quiet day has me wondering if it is not some sort of parasite or chemicle response?

 

[Crysta]

These are wolf spiders, and based on the ones I've found here are likely Trochosa sp. The young ones resemble adult females, with some variations in the "dark bars" inside the median stripe on the carapace. This batch is too young to identify to species.

Nice to find them ballooning like that! Much wind that day?

Thanks Jsloan! I am looking at pictures right now but it doesn't seem too close, but they are youngin's, so you never know. Ill trust your opinion as always

There wasn't much wind at the time of the video, but when I started taking pictures it got a bit breezy and took me an hour to get the below ones lol

You always have such awesome photos. I really love your macro work!

Thanks BQC123~ ! Now, imagine if I had an actual macro camera and lense, that wasn't a powershot G10...

were you able to witness any actualy getting to flight? they do seem very large to manage such a feat, and what truely astonishes me is I can make out three on that same plant doing it, as if they have been in such close proximity since hatching, its the same sight you'd expect to find of spiders fresh out, not juvies in the least. great find.

Thanks Malhavoc!
Yep, there were other young ones already in the air, actually, the one in the last picture in my hand was grabbed out of the air because I remembered I forgot to take a reference photo for size. lol

edit: the behavior of spiders that are primary early morning and evening active, out in broad day light in balooning on what appears to be a windless/quiet day has me wondering if it is not some sort of parasite or chemicle response?

It was about 11 AM, I seen these guys on my plants since 2 weeks ago, being plant protectors of my peppers. Eating fine and all that. Also, it was just that lucky moment of no wind in that video lol, it got quite breezy as I was taking photos to my dismay.

edit:
I forgot to mention
when I grabbed that small spider from the air, it had around 20 different strands of light webbing, allowing it to flow about in the air, quite impressive. They also gain altitude fairly quickly it's really cool!

edit, added two more photos to the first post...

 

[Crysta]

hm...i just read a post by jsloan and it dissapeared? i was just going to reply when i remembered haha

 

[Malhavoc's]

he did that to me too, turned out it was an IM, bad jsloan bad!

 

[Widowman10]

figures that jsloan and others would beat me to it, i'm slow on the posting uptake i guess. i was going to reply with the same thing, and then scrolled down and saw j beat me to it.

all that to say, i agree before looking at other posts.

mad photo skills btw. amazing shots, love it!

 

[jsloan]

he did that to me too, turned out it was an IM, bad jsloan bad!

After I posted it I decided to send it as a PM instead.

 

[jsloan]

hm...i just read a post by jsloan and it dissapeared? i was just going to reply when i remembered haha

Sorry about that. I was wondering if you were going to collect some and raise them to adults so you could get a more definite ID. That would support these great observations you're making. There is quite a lot still to learn about the day-to-day habits of most spiders, and documenting things like this for a particular species is valuable. I think that was the gist of my previous post.

 

[Moltar]

Amazing pictures.

 

[Crysta]

mad photo skills btw. amazing shots, love it!

Amazing pictures.

Thanks you two I appreciate it I love taking them ^^

After I posted it I decided to send it as a PM instead.

ops

Sorry about that. I was wondering if you were going to collect some and raise them to adults so you could get a more definite ID. That would support these great observations you're making. There is quite a lot still to learn about the day-to-day habits of most spiders, and documenting things like this for a particular species is valuable. I think that was the gist of my previous post.

I would jsloan, but I am moving to Vancouver Friday so I won't have time for the little critters I just recently got rid of my arachnids as well sad times. I could always capture one and send it your way if you would like?

Although, I can't wait for the critters ill see once I arrive to BC....I also want to look for a rubber boa sometime next year.... hehe

Crysta

 

[jsloan]

I would jsloan, but I am moving to Vancouver Friday so I won't have time for the little critters I just recently got rid of my arachnids as well sad times. I could always capture one and send it your way if you would like?

Oh, no need. You've probably got your hands full with your move right now without worrying about sending spiders through the mail, too. Good luck in Vancouver!

 

[Crysta]

thanks jsloan!