Any Spider Experts Out There?

Posted by: Hammerhead on 20 April 2005

Anyone out there a spider expert? Saw one on my fence this morning which looked a bit exotic for rural Somerset! At first it just looked like a golden coloured leaf/star-fish, very flat, no body as such. What gave it away though were its eyes, in the usual spider cluster. Alas it ran away when a breeze blew on it so I didn’t get chance to take a pic of it.

I'd be quite interested to know what it is was as it seemed quite unusual and not the common 'fat current with legs' type found these parts.

Cheers,

Steve

Posted on: 20 April 2005 by Martin Clark

Is this site any help?

Posted on: 20 April 2005 by Rzme0

If it ran away that quickly when you tried to take its picture maybe it's a Maserati Biturbo Spider.

Sorry, dreadful I know ..... but it was just there waiting to be said.

Posted on: 20 April 2005 by Berlin Fritz

quote:
Originally posted by Hammerhead:
Anyone out there a spider expert? Saw one on my fence this morning which looked a bit exotic for rural Somerset! At first it just looked like a golden coloured leaf/star-fish, very flat, no body as such. What gave it away though were its eyes, in the usual spider cluster. Alas it ran away when a breeze blew on it so I didn’t get chance to take a pic of it.

I'd be quite interested to know what it is was as it seemed quite unusual and not the common 'fat current with legs' type found these parts.

Cheers,

Steve

Sounds like Boris, John !!!

Posted on: 20 April 2005 by Hammerhead

Nice one, Martin. I've emailed the site owner and will see what he comes up with as I didn't find anything on his site that looked like my specimen.

Ross - it could well have been a Maser Spider. Rain was forecast so it probably ran away before it disolved!

Fritz - it looked far too mean to be a Boris. More like a Leon/Nikita...

Nite nite,

Steve

Posted on: 20 April 2005 by Berlin Fritz

Boris the spider

Posted on: 21 April 2005 by JeremyD

As a spider-phobic I have always paid great attention to the spiders I catch and throw out of the house. Consequently, I was surprised when a type I had never seen before [with a tiny body and long spindly legs] turned out (IIRC)to be one of the three most common species...

Posted on: 21 April 2005 by Squonk

Life is nice in Sydney - but here is one of the things it takes a while for us brits to get used when first moving down here.

Some of the little nasties we might have to deal with in our back garden.

http://www.termite.com/spiders/spider-identification-chart.shtml

Posted on: 21 April 2005 by Hammerhead

I don't fancy meeting any of those funnel web spiders

So what is it about Australia? The worlds deadliest spiders AND snakes!?

Steve

Posted on: 21 April 2005 by Squonk

quote:
Originally posted by Hammerhead:
I don't fancy meeting any of those funnel web spiders

So what is it about Australia? The worlds deadliest spiders AND snakes!?

Steve

I don't know - the list of hazards is endless chances of encountering any if you take basic precautions - low

Spiders - many of them including the Sydney Funnel Web - the world's dealiest - loves the leafy suburbs where I live. Just read that if you do get bitten by one you must rush to hospital and they would like you to try and catch the spider if you can so you can take it with you!! Just what yopu want to be doing in your last hour alive if you don't get the antivenom.

Snakes - 11 of the 12 world's deadliest

Seasnakes

Crocodiles - Saltwater and Freshwater

Sharks

Box Jellyfish - the worst of all - read in a paper that it was far more pleasant to be done by a crocodile than a box jellyfish - nice

Blue Ringed Octopuses - no known cure if bitten by this one

And believe it or not - Ticks can kill you.

Many more I cannot remember I am sure.

Must be some kind of punishment.

Posted on: 21 April 2005 by MichaelC

They don't mention that in the holiday adverts

Posted on: 21 April 2005 by Derek Wright

Expat - you forgot the sun that gives you skin cancer and getting lost in the outback while walking home <g>