Spiders

Baby Spiders by Thousands

2010-09-18T00:43:00.000-07:00

Baby spiders by thousands found along a stream at Balik Pulau, Penang, Malaysia. The rate of survival must be very slim for these spiders. They are food for birds, other spiders, etc. The animal kingdom is facinating.

Closeup of the spiders

Scorpion-tailed Spider

2008-04-29T06:14:00.000-07:00

Scorpion-tailed Spider

According to http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnura :-
Arachnura is a genus of orb-weaving spiders of Australasia, with one species found in Africa and Madagascar. These spiders mimic litter, like twigs or dead leaves, by a brownish color and appendages. They stay at the middle of their web day and night. Among the common names are tailed spider, scorpion-tailed spider and scorpion spider. They do curl up their tail when disturbed, but this tail is completely harmless, as they are not closely related to scorpiones.

This Scorpion-tailed Spider found in Penang, Malaysia mimic dead litter, like twigs as described above. However, it DID NOT stay at the center of the web during the day. Instead it hid away from the sun. It is a nocturnal spider! This Scorpion-tailed Spider is 8cm.

You can see 4 peeping eyes between the legs.

Close-up of the folded legs

Tarantula

2008-04-05T03:15:00.000-07:00

Tarantula is the common name for a group of "hairy" and often very large spiders belonging to the family Theraphosidae, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. Tarantulas hunt prey in both trees and on the ground. All tarantulas can emit silk, whether they be arboreal or terrestrial species. Arboreal species will typically reside in a silken "tube web", and terrestrial species will line their burrows or lairs with web to catch wandering prey. They mainly eat insects and other arthropods, using ambush as their primary method. The biggest tarantulas can kill animals as large as lizards, mice, or birds. Most tarantulas are harmless to humans, and some species are popular in the exotic pet trade while others are eaten as food. These spiders are found in tropical and desert regions around the world.

The name tarantula comes from the town of Taranto in Southern Italy and was originally used for an unrelated species of either European wolf spider (See Lycosa tarantula for more information about this spider the appearance of which resembles that of that tarantula family) or the Mediterranean black widow (the effects of whose bite more closely resemble that described in Taranto). In Africa, Theraphosids are frequently referred to as "baboon spiders". Asian forms are known as "earth tigers" or "bird spiders". Australians refer to their species as "barking spiders", "whistling spiders," or "bird spiders". People in other parts of the world also apply the general name "mygales" to Theraphosid spiders. (Source: Wikipedia)

Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia dimidiata)

2008-04-05T02:47:00.000-07:00

Received an email regarding a dangerous spider. In Malaysia, there are many Two-striped spiders in the wild. Apparently this is a hoax. I must admit I was not sure myself until someone pointed out my ignorant.
These spiders are found in the open among leaves in our Malaysian's rainforest.

Subject: Better be careful (nothing to lose)......... it may save your life!

Three women in KL turned up at various hospitals over a 5-day period, all with the same symptoms - fever, chills, vomiting, followed by muscular pain, collapse, paralysis, and finally,death. There were no outward signs of trauma. Autopsy results showed toxicity in the blood.

These women did not know each other, and seemed to have nothing in common. It was discovered, however, that they had all visited a same restaurant along Jalan Kuchai Lama within days of their deaths. The health department descended on the restaurant, shutting it down. The food, water, and air conditioning were all inspected and tested, to no avail. The big break came when a waitress at the restaurant was rushed to the hospital with similar symptoms. She told doctors that she had been on vacation, and had only went to the restaurant to pick up her check. She did not eat or drink while she was there, but had used the restroom. That is when one toxicologist, remembering an article he had read, drove up to the restaurant, went into the restroom, and lifted the toilet seat.

Under the seat, out of normal view, was a small spider. The spider was captured and brought back to the lab, where it was determined to be the Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia dimidiata), so named because of its reddened flesh color. This spider's venom is extremely toxic, but can take several days to take effect. They live in cold, dark, damp climates, and toilet rims provide just the right atmosphere.

A Malaysian's Two-Striped Spider. Note the 2 black striped at the abdomen.

Several days later, a lawyer from JB showed up at a hospital emergency room. Before his death, he told the doctor, that he had been away on business, had taken a flight from Indonesia , changing planes in Singapore , before returning home. He did not visit the restaurant while there He did, as did all of the other victims, have what was determined to be a puncture wound, on his right buttock.

Investigators discovered that the flight he was on had originated in India . The Civilian Aeronautics Board (CAB)ordered an immediate inspection of the toilets of all flights from India , and discovered the Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia dimidiata) spider's nests on four different planes! It is now believed that these spiders can be anywhere in the country. So please, before you use a public toilet, lift the seat to check for spiders. It can save your life! And please pass this on to everyone you care about.

P Susthitha Menon (Susi)
Photonics Technology Laboratory
Department of Electrical, Electronics and System Engineering
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia ( National University of Malaysia )
43600 UKM Bangi
Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Spiders From Mount Oliver Hike, Penang

2008-03-15T01:07:00.000-07:00

You can find spiders everywhere in Malaysia if you look with your sharp eyes. You can find them on the forest floor, under a leaf, on a leaf, inside a hole, on sandy river bank....anywhere.

This spider found on a leaf.

This spider found on the forest litter.

Under a leaf.

Spider searches high and low for insect.

Crab Spiders

2007-12-15T05:54:00.000-08:00

Crab spiders are commonly called "flower spiders". They usually have bright colors that camouflaged with the surrounding flowers waiting to ambush the prey. Crab spiders do not build webs to trap prey. Crab spiders are active hunters lying in ambush unlike the wolf spiders that run down their prey.

Crab spiders are from the Thomisidae family of the Araneae order. Crab spiders have their first two pairs of legs larger and longer, which are held out to the side giving them (with their flattened, angular bodies) a crab-like appearance. Like the crabs, these spiders move sideways and backwards more easily than forwards. These small sized crab spiders hide easily with their sideways and backwards movement into the numerous petals of the flowers.

Kuala Juru, Penang.

Wolf Spiders

2007-12-15T05:50:00.000-08:00

Wolf spiders hunt by running down their prey. Hence, its named as Wolf Spiders. They are quick, agile and robust hunters that have good eyesight to hunt, especially at night.
Wolf Spiders carry their egg sacs by attaching them to their spinnerets.

A spinneret is a spider's silk-spinning organ. It is usually on the underside of a spider's abdomen. (Source: Wikipedia)

Found: Bkt Laksamana, Penang. Mac 2008

Jumping Spider and Mosquito Photo Essay

2007-12-09T19:14:00.000-08:00

I was concentrating on taking a good macro photo of this colorful mosquito in a garden. I did not realise that there were 8 eyes watching every movement of the mosquito (or is it me?) (Photo of Mosquito Below)

The jumping spider strikes without warning....from no where. And caught the mosquito. (Photo below)

The jumping spider hopped away trying to get away from my curious observation. (Photo Below)

The jumping spider turned and had a good look at me. I gave him a bright surprise. He held tight to the prey. (Photo Below)

The jumping spider slipped into a dark corner behind the dead tree branch. I could hardly focus on the spider with such a tight corner and difficult working angle. (Photo Below)

Venue : Kota Baru, Kelantan, Malaysia

Date : 30 Nov 2007

Jumping Spider and Grasshopper Photo Essay

2007-12-09T18:40:00.000-08:00

I saw this little jumping spider jumping from from one tree root to another. Dark in color. When taken with macro lens, I can see some colors. Size about 5mm. (Photo Below)

I didn't notice this dark grasshopper just a few inches away. (Photo Below)

Until when the jumping spider was an inch away. The grasshopper was at least 2.5 times the length of the spider. The spider was getting ready for the jump....but unfortunately, my enthusiasm could have warned the grasshopper about the impending danger. The grasshopper escaped. (Photo Below)

The spider immediately jumped to the north. The spider knew the direction of the grasshopper escaped route. I told you, they are intelligence! I didn't continue the observation as it was dizzling then.

Venue : Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia

Date : 9 Dec 2007

Lynx Spiders

2007-12-09T07:28:00.000-08:00

Lynx Spider has long legs and long hairs on the long legs. The spiders can be found on forest edges and undergrowth in tropical rainforest. The spiders used their long legs to help them in hunting - fast in catching prey. The lynx spider prefer not to make web as they hunt for their prey. They have smaller eyes and hence not having a good eyesight as compare with the jumping spider with large front eyes. These spiders are common and often very colorful. Since they like open area with good sunshine, they are active during the day.

Found: Bkt Lakasamana, Penang. Mac 2008

Orb-weaver Spiders - Araneidae

2007-12-09T06:46:00.000-08:00

Orb-weaver spider or orb-web spider usually has large abdomen. These orb-weaver spiders hang upside down with different web styles for different prey. Orb web spiders have poor vision but are very sensitive to vibration. Any prey touching the web will be responded with the pull from the spider.

Jumping Spiders - Salticidae

2007-12-09T02:38:00.000-08:00

The jumping spider family (Salticidae) contains more than 500 described genera and over 5,000 species, making it the largest family of spiders with about 13% of all species (Peng et al., 2002). Jumping spiders have good vision and use it for hunting and navigating. They are capable of jumping from place to place, secured by a silk tether. (Source: Wikipedia.org)

Jumping spiders do not build web. They are intelligence spiders capable of ambushing preys. During my younger days, I used to collect jumping spiders as fighting spiders. I watch them fight in glass bottles. They usually hide under leaves.

Found: Bkt Laksamana, Penang. Mac 2008

Spiders - Introduction

2007-12-08T03:38:00.001-08:00

Here is the brief write up about spiders:

Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals that have two body segments, eight legs, no chewing mouth parts and no wings. They are classified in the order Araneae, one of several orders within the larger class of arachnids, a group which also contains scorpions, whip scorpions, mites, ticks, and opiliones (harvestmen). The study of spiders is known as arachnology.

All spiders produce silk, a thin, strong protein strand extruded by the spider from spinnerets most commonly found on the end of the abdomen. Many species use it to trap insects in webs, although there are also many species that hunt freely. Silk can be used to aid in climbing, form smooth walls for burrows, build egg sacs, wrap prey, and temporarily hold sperm, among other applications.

All spiders except those in the families Uloboridae and Holarchaeidae, and in the suborder Mesothelae (together about 350 species) can inject venom to protect themselves or to kill and liquefy prey. Only about 200 species, however, have bites that can pose health problems to humans.[1] Many larger species' bites may be quite painful, but will not produce lasting health concerns.

Spiders are found all over the world, from the tropics to the Arctic, living underwater in silken domes they supply with air, and on the tops of mountains. In 1973 Skylab 3 took two spiders into space to test their web-spinning capability in free-fall.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider