Wednesday 1 October 2008

What sort of Spider?

Both Kathy and JoVE asked if I had identifed the spider I found. I was surprised at myself that it had not even occured to me to think what sort it was. I guess my two spiders have been around the extension room (which serves as both study and utility room) for such a long time that I've got quite used to them. My field guide didn't have anything that looked similar and so I had a quick look on Google and I have come to the conclusion that it's just a house spider. At first, when I looked at the pictures I thought, 'That's not it because mine isn't hairy,' but then I fetched the matchbox to have another look and in fact it is quite hairy. (Hairy, rather than furry, I'm not tempted to stroke it!) The skin (or should that be 'exoskeleton'?) doesn't have any markings, but now I'm wondering if the markings are underneath the skin and show through and as such wouldn't show on a shed skin?

Apparently,

The males are often seen scuttling across a room or falling into bath tubs as they move around in search of a female.
As I found the spider from the west end of the room in the sink but have never seen the east-end spider (the one whose skin I found) even fully out of the hole, perhaps I could assume they are a male and female - perhaps I should introduce them? Soft lighting and romantic music?

1 comment:

Jane D. said...

nice to hear your romamtic side coming out here Gaynor!