Here are pics of the local trapdoor spider. These amazing creatures are true engineers of the soil. As youngsters they dig their own burrow and spin a special silk to keep the hole watertight. They grab soil, mix it together and spin a tonne of silk on it and paste a lid on top of the hole. They may live in the hole all their lives (about 5 years or so). Maybe they enlargen their hole with each moult (they shed skin for growth...exoskeleton). Hole goes down about a foot or so and about 1.5 inches wide. The spider hides behind the lid awaiting any insects that may cross the lid. Sensitive to touch, these spiders grab the insect (many ground bugs). It is a wonder if they stand outside the burrow at night or choice times of the day. Included is a male spider in the pics. They are slimmer (as tarantulas) and have bulbs on the pedipalps -- small two front legs for mating. Yours truly has seen whole colonies of these spiders (the lids of the burrows)...maybe in 50s or 100s on hillsides. It's possible they live above 3000 feet. Spiders generally like warmer areas but some have been seen up at 15000 feet or so. This is a close relative of the tarantula (aphonopelma).
2 comments:
I like the spiders better than the cigarette pictures. Ick. I can't look at them, cause I guess they remind me of my surgery. That is why I am mostly watching game shows and sit coms on tv.
Nope.....can't look at those pictures.....I can take anything but spiders and scorpions and most reptiles. I tried to read the info without looking at the pictures but it's difficult.
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