Fwd: [NatureNS] Spider ID

Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:14:25 -0300
From: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <AD68190D-C47C-4540-B69D-2806EC07C316@magickcanoe.com>
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

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Maria chose the right group when her Aud. Field Guide showed a  
"fishing spider".  The group to which the several species of  
Dolomedes belong is the family Pisauridae, which have various aliases  
including fishing spiders, nursery-web spiders, raft spiders, wharf  
spiders, or "Jesus Christ spiders", the latter name from their  
facility with walking or running on the surface of water, e.g. ponds  
or lakeshores or streams.  They are active hunters, not using webs to  
catch prey like insects, small fish, tadpoles, etc.  Their silk  
glands have uses when it's time to reproduce: the female carries the  
large silken egg-sac in her jaws; then before the eggs hatch a  
nursery web is constructed, often in shrubs along a rushing brook;  
such a web then is a nursery for the babies, guarded by the female,  
who may die during this or perhaps live another year to repeat the  
act in the following year?

Another use of the silk comes for some or most species in courtship,  
when the male wraps up a freshly killed insect and presents it as a  
gift or bribe to a female.  Then while she unwraps and eats the gift,  
guess what he does?!  Yes, he mates with her, of course.  There are  
also some kinds of flies that utilize such bribes, and I have read  
that some species have evolved this into just a ritual, in which the  
"gift" package can be empty!

Isn't nature fun?  Viva diversity!  Cheers from Jim in Wolfville

Begin forwarded message:

> From: bev wigney <bev@magickcanoe.com>
> Date: July 10, 2008 11:42:59 PM ADT
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Spider ID
> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>
> Looks like Dolomedes scriptus:
> http://bugguide.net/node/view/164840/bgimage
>
> On 10-Jul-08, at 10:28 PM, Phil & Maria Forman wrote:
>
>> I've seen some spiders in my time, but never one this big!  The  
>> body had to be about 3/4" long, and from tip of front legs to tip  
>> of back legs was 2 1/2" to 3".  We found it on our deck and it  
>> hung around for a couple of days...then I painted my deck and we  
>> haven't seen it since.  It would have been nice to have a ruler in  
>> the picture, but the darn thing moved like lightening! Anyone have  
>> any idea what type of spider this might be?  We've lived here for  
>> 25 years and never seen one like this before.  I have an Audubon  
>> Field Guide to Insects & Spiders, and the only thing it comes  
>> close to as far as I can tell is a "fishing spider"
>> Hopefully this link works!!!
>>
>> http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2446293130101775065ssvWrX
>>
>> Maria Forman
>> Debert NS
>
>


--Boundary_(ID_CD9La+oeetNkRlM3kemcHg)
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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
Maria chose the right group when her Aud. Field Guide showed a "fishing =
spider". =A0The group to which the several species of Dolomedes belong =
is the family Pisauridae, which have various aliases including fishing =
spiders, nursery-web spiders, raft spiders, wharf spiders, or "Jesus =
Christ spiders", the latter name from their facility with walking or =
running on the surface of water, e.g. ponds or lakeshores or streams. =
=A0They are active hunters, not using webs to catch prey like insects, =
small fish, tadpoles, etc. =A0Their silk glands have uses when it's time =
to reproduce: the female carries the large silken egg-sac in her jaws; =
then before the eggs hatch a nursery web is constructed, often in shrubs =
along a rushing brook; such a web then is a nursery for the babies, =
guarded by the female, who may die during this or perhaps live another =
year to repeat the act in the following year? =
=A0<div><br></div><div>Another use of the silk comes for some or most =
species in courtship, when the male wraps up a freshly killed insect and =
presents it as a gift or bribe to a female. =A0Then while she unwraps =
and eats the gift, guess what he does?! =A0Yes, he mates with her, of =
course. =A0There are also some kinds of flies that utilize such bribes, =
and I have read that some species have evolved this into just a ritual, =
in which the "gift" package can be empty!</div><div><br></div><div>Isn't =
nature fun? =A0Viva diversity! =A0Cheers from Jim in =
Wolfville<br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: =
</b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Helvetica">bev wigney &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:bev@magickcanoe.com">bev@magickcanoe.com</a>></font></div><=
div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Date: =
</b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Helvetica">July 10, 2008 11:42:59 PM ADT</font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>To: </b></font><font =
face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a></font>=
</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Re: [NatureNS] Spider =
ID</b></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Reply-To: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a></font>=
</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div>  Looks like =
Dolomedes scriptus:<div><a =
href=3D"http://bugguide.net/node/view/164840/bgimage">http://bugguide.net/=
node/view/164840/bgimage</a><br><div><br><div><div>On 10-Jul-08, at =
10:28 PM, Phil &amp; Maria Forman wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">I've seen some spiders in my time, but never one =
this big!<span class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </span>The body had =
to be about 3/4" long, and from tip of front legs to tip of back legs =
was 2 1/2" to 3".<span class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </span>We =
found it on our deck and it hung around for a couple of days...then I =
painted my deck and we haven't seen it since.<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </span>It would have been nice to =
have a ruler in the picture, but the darn thing moved like lightening! =
Anyone have any idea what type of spider this might be?<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </span>We've lived here for 25 years =
and never seen one like this before.<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </span>I have an Audubon Field Guide =
to Insects &amp; Spiders, and the only thing it comes close to as far as =
I can tell is a "fishing spider"</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Hopefully =
this link works!!!</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; =
"><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><a =
href=3D"http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2446293130101775065ssvWrX">http=
://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2446293130101775065ssvWrX</a></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Maria =
Forman</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Debert NS</div> =
</blockquote></div><br><div> <span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: =
normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: =
normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: =
none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: =
normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: =
normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: =
normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: =
normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: =
normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: =
normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: =
normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: =
normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"border-collapse: separate; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); =
font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; =
font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; =
line-height: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; =
text-indent: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; =
orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; =
-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: =
0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12px; =
font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; =
letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; =
-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; =
white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; =
"><div><br></div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></=
div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>=

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