Tetragnatha: Stretch Spiders

   

   Hello again! I wanted to talk about a type of spider that had me beyond curious from when I first saw one. Their behavior caught me off guard! They're called stretch spiders in the genus Tetragnatha. They're named so because of their elongated bodies and legs which allow them to stretch out almost flat against whatever they may be perching on to avoid predators and such. 

   The first time I saw one I chased him around the stick he was on but came away from it with nothing because he was so well hidden! So started my mission to get spiders like him identified. Two more spiders like him later, I finally got verfication on his genus.

   Unlike where I live, most spiders in this genus find their home in the tropics and subtropics. Many live in Hawaii specifically. I also learned that many can run over water, I think due to their light size and elongated legs. 

 I think the one we saw was Tetragnatha extensa because it lives near lakes and river banks on grass and around trees and shrubs which is accurate for the environment around here. Unfortunately, I'll probably never know the exact species because they're really hard to tell apart. For most, you need to look under a microscope at their genitalia to make a confimation. I'm happy enough with a genus, I think. 

From the moment I saw the first one I was determined to figure them out. I'm happy to have gotten him down to genus and really enjoyed learning about them. I hope you did too!

Yours, 

Jade

Thomisidae: Crab Spiders

    I wanted to talk about these spiders because I've only observed 3 of them and don't have any of them identified further than their family: Thomisidae. 

    Many members are also known as flower spiders or flower crab spiders because they usually camouflage with the flowers they live around and use to hunt. 

     They do not spin webs, instead hiding and ambushing their prey. Because their front legs are larger than the rest of their legs, they usually walk sideways or backwards hence the crab name. They also use these large legs to grab and hold their prey while they administer their venomous bite. Fortunately, they are not harmful to humans.

   Some spiders in this family can change color over the course of a few days to match their chosen flower.

    Their strategies as hunters seem to be varied as some hunt on and around flowers, others frequent leaves or bark, while others still mimic bird droppings while they wait. Some also hide in crevices in tree bark and come out to hunt at night.

    Depending on species, females can be anywhere from twice the male's size to a whopping 60 times as massive! Their larger size helps females catch larger prey and they usually remain quite stationary. Males tend to travel more and find the females in order to mate.

   I just find this family fascinating and want to learn more about them. It's extra fun for me because I never expect to see them. They just show up on the plants that I'm examining and I get to take their picture before they continue on with their lives. Below are the three species I've seen personally although I don't know what they are other than their family. I hope you enjoyed your stay! 

Yours, 

Jade