Orbweaver....do the birds notice?
I have been noticing a small but brightly colored spider, the orchard orbweaver (
Leucauge venusta
) in my rambles at Wildflower Preserve in Charlotte County, FL.
I have not been able to discover the function of the striking colors of this tiny and relatively unknown spider. If it were larger I am sure it would be well known and often photographed.
Does anyone have ideas about the purpose of such a striking coloration? The bright red colors are reminiscent of the dangerous black widow and I am thus wondering about what will happen when I by mistake walk through the web of this tiny beauty and find one on my face. For a small day-active orbweaver which is so exposed to predation by birds, such bright colors must mean something. Or could it be that it is so small (body 5.5-7.5 mm) that predators disdain to bother with it?
Bill Dunson
Englewood, FL
Galax, VA
What Spider is this?
Mystery spider lurking on a sunflower.....
Can you help figure out what kind this is?
©Bill Dunson
Here is an unknown spider I found apparently waiting for potential prey to come to a Maximillian sunflower. We have planted these Helianthus in a reconstructed "prairie" and they are quite spectacular at the moment.
Although this spider seems to be doing what crab spiders do (hunt in flowers by ambushing prey) and has the long front legs to grap prey with, it may not actually be a crab spider.
If anyone has found a good guide to common spiders please let me know the title and author. Spiders are always a problem to identify.
-Bill Dunson
Galax, VA
©Bill Dunson
