Ultraviolet Fluorescence in Spiders
It is rather common knowledge that scorpions emit a bright blue glow under ultraviolet light. Recently, we’ve found that some millipedes and harvestmen exhibit the same behavior as well. This made us shine our UV torches at almost every subject we saw. What resulted on this night, was a really pleasant discovery. 🙂
Update 20 Nov 2013: My UV photos were recently published on WIRED, with more details on this phenomenon: The Secret World of Fluorescent Arthropods.
Bird Dung Spider (Pasilobus sp.)
Victor found this Bird Dung Spider which we often shot. This is the rear view.
Bird Dung Spider (Pasilobus sp.)
The Bird Dung Spider dangling on it’s web.
Bird-Dung Orb Weaver (Pasilobus sp.)
The web of this Bird Dung Spider is a bizarre array of dangling silk lined with sticky droplets to catch prey. The spider waits patiently on the far-right.
Bird Dung Spider (Pasilobus sp.)
Face to face with the Bird Dung Spider
Bird Dung Spider (Pasilobus sp.)
Lo and behold, under ultraviolet light, the Bird Dung Spider illuminates to resemble some precious blue stone!! Even the eyes were a creepy blue! Thanks to Melvyn for taking the effort to shine the UV light at almost every subject we saw that night. 😛
Flatid Planthopper (Flatidae)
Many Flatid Planthoppers lined the branches of trees along the path, including it’s nymphs. We searched for one emerging from a moult to no avail.
Comb-Footed Spider (Theriididae)
A beautiful Comb-Footed Spider was found hiding under a leaf
Comb-Footed Spider (Theriididae)
Another Comb-Footed Spider , looks like a male
Jumping Spider (Salticidae)
Found a Jumping Spider guarding her spiderlings, but it was way too high and I couldn’t get a good shot.
Garden Spider (Eriovixia pseudocentrodes)
Andy found this Garden Spider with a pointed abdomen
Garden Spider (Eriovixia pseudocentrodes)
The Garden Spider looked pregnant and could be laying eggs soon! Actually the term should be gravid, which means carrying eggs, while pregnant means carrying live young. Thanks to Mark for pointing it out. 🙂 I still tend to use terms for mammals in the captions, as I usually end up anthropomorphising the subjects.
Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae)
It was a pleasant surprise to find a Lynx Spider fresh out of moult. Unfortunately the rest were far ahead and I could not call them back to take some shots of this fella.
Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae)
Dangling only by a single line of silk, the Lynx Spider was spinning wildly!
Mantis Parasitic Wasp (Podagrion sp.)
Melvyn found this tiny Mantis Parasitic Wasp on a mantis ootheca (egg mass), maybe 5mm body length!
Mantis Parasitic Wasp (Podagrion sp.)
The Mantis Parasitic Wasp was busy ovipositing (laying eggs) into the mantis ootheca!
Long-Legged Sac Spider (Miturgidae)
There were many Long-Legged Sac Spiders running around
Long-Legged Sac Spider (Miturgidae)
The Long-Legged Sac Spider typically has very long chelicerae
Jumping Spider (Salticidae)
I found this cute Jumping Spider just beside the Miturgid!
Jumping Spider (Salticidae)
The patterns on this Jumping Spider were quite pretty
Net-Casting Spider (Deinopis sp.)
The others found this male Net-Casting Spider with it’s usual Ogre-Face.
Net-Casting Spider (Deinopis sp.)
The palps of the male Net-Casting Spider are swollen, all ready to mate!
Net-Casting Spider (Deinopis sp.)
The stick-like body of the Net-Casting Spider camouflages itself well among thin twigs
Net-Casting Spider (Deinopis sp.)
Final shot of the classic ogre-face 🙂
Cone-Headed Grasshopper (Pseudomorphacris sp.)
A common Cone-Headed Grasshopper from an unusual view
Golden Comb Footed Spider (Chrysso sp.)
Juvenile Golden Comb Footed Spider
Long-Legged Sac Spider (Miturgidae)
Another Long-Legged Sac Spider . This one looks pregnant with the large abdomen!
Long-Legged Sac Spider (Miturgidae)
Close up on the face of the Long-Legged Sac Spider
Praying Mantis (Acromantis sp.)
Interesting pose of the Praying Mantis
Broad-Headed Bugs (Alydidae)
Melvyn found this pair of mating Broad-Headed Bugs
Assassin Bug (Reduviidae)
This Assassin Bug was just above the broad-headed bugs but refused to stop walking!
Ant (Formicidae)
Say Yiam, Ron and Kit Ming were shooting this queen ant that has dropped her wings
Ant (Formicidae)
The colours were lovely!! But I wondered if she could still start her colony as she appeared to be walking around weakly.
Mantis
One of the common Mantids on the ground, so I took a customary passport photo. 🙂
Leaf-Rolling Weevil (Attelabidae)
The permanent resident of the park, the Leaf-Rolling Weevil , finally made an appearance!
Mantis Parasitic Wasp (Podagrion sp.)
Say Yiam found another Mantis Parasitic Wasp
Mantis Parasitic Wasp (Podagrion sp.)
This time I managed to go closer
Mantis Parasitic Wasp (Podagrion sp.)
And then the Mantis Parasitic Wasp started ovipositing again!
Long-Legged Sac Spider (Miturgidae)
Yet another Long-Legged Sac Spider with a caterpillar prey!
Long-Legged Sac Spider (Miturgidae)
Long-Legged Sac Spider sucking on the juices of the caterpillar
Long-Legged Sac Spider (Miturgidae)
Shot of the Long-Legged Sac Spider’s hungry face!
Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Poltys sp.)
On our way out, the others in the group spotted a Tree Stump Orb Weaver on it’s web
Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Poltys sp.)
The Tree Stump Orb Weaver cringed as we went closer
Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Poltys sp.)
Dorsal view of the Tree Stump Orb Weaver .. can’t tell that it’s a spider from here!
Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Poltys sp.)
The Tree Stump Orb Weaver started to dance around
Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Poltys sp.)
It then ran to hide under a leaf and stared at me
Garden Spider (Parawixia sp.)
Final subject of the night.. a Garden Spider
Garden Spider (Parawixia sp.)
View of the abdomen
There were actually many other interesting subjects in the night… gonna be a long post!
The complete album can be viewed here.
