Many spiders and bugs are named according to their appearances, while some according to their behavioral traits. The Scorpion-Tailed Spider (Arachnura genus) obtained it’s name from it’s long appendage that resembles a scorpion’s tail. This “tail” looks like parts of a dead leaf and contains no sting, unlike a real scorpion. The tail only exists in females, while the males are tailless and as in many other spiders, could be 10 times smaller than the female.

#1 When it was first found, the scorpion-tailed spider was dangling in the middle of it’s web. To complete it’s disguise, some real leaf litter was used to decorate the web.

#2 It fidgeted around as some prey got caught on the web

#3 A closer look – it had 3 dew drops hanging from it’s body!

#4 I fumbled when removing my tripod and the spider got spooked into this position. Quickly took a last shot!

#5 Here’s a real scorpion hanging from above me, with the tail in an upright position.

#6 Tailless Whip Scorpion (Amblypygi). Yet another subject which had adopted the scorpion name for it’s claw-like appendages

#7 Closer look at it’s face


#9 Pseudoscorpion (Pseudoscorpionida) are really tiny critters often found clinging onto larger insects

#10 Water Scorpion (Nepidae) with a scorpion-like pose while underwater. Looks completely different when above water!

Some other random shots from the same area:

#11 Doing what they were born to do

#12 Praying mantis with what looks like the remaining bits of a winged-insect

#13 Closer look at the supper

#14 A Brown Huntsman (Heteropoda venatoria sp.) carrying her egg sac.

#15 Looks like a hole has opened up in the egg sac!

#16 Spiderlings spotted!

#17 The spiderlings look pretty impressive

#18 Ant mimicking spider (Mallinella), albeit not very good at doing it. lol.

#19 Mwahhahahaha… evil laugh with plan to take over the world. Hawkmoth larva, not sure which hawkmoth though.

#20 Full view of Dr Evil, almost 2 inches long

#21 This was found just beside the hawkmoth larva. At first I thought that it belonged to a hawkmoth as well, but found that hawkmoths pupate underground and not like other moths or butterflies which pupate on branches or leaves.

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