Spider ID's Required (1 Viewer)

[Paul Rule]

I captured this image in the garden this afternoon. I was trying to photograph the one with the round white egg sack, when the second one came into view. I'm realy chuffed with this image, I was never going to get both in focus, but I rather like having the back one out of focus it adds an edge of menace (even though none existed).

Only problem is I have so far failed to ID either spider. Can anyone help?

 

[cjay]

Pisaura miriabalis commonly known as the Nursery Web spider due to the fact that they carry the egg sac around with them as illustrated.

CJ

 

[Paul Rule]

Thank you Collin,

Does not look the same on the colour plate in my guide book but it does say the markings can very considerably. Having just read up on this species I see the male will present the female with a parcel of wrapped pray as a diversion while he mates with her. I assume thats what the chap with the lumpy parcel at the back is doing, although he seems to be a bit late for that.

Paul

 

[Dave Smith]

Thats a great picture Paul. Have you considered putting it in the competition?

 

[janetclark]

Hi, in my book it looks very like the Wolf spider, Pisaura mirabilis. even down to the gold stripe on the head. Either way it's a lovely photo and I agree it would make a good cometition photo.

 

[Paul Rule]

Thanks Dave & Janet,

I will definately be putting in 2 entries, and this may be one of them, although I want to see how a couple of ideas for for photos I want to try turn out before making a final decision.

 

[walt-m]

Paul A verry great photo of these spiders you must loads of skill with your camera. walt -m

 

[Paul Rule]

Thank you Walt, although it owes a great deal to luck, as that second spider came from nowhere, and I just had time to frame it and get off one shot, before the moment had gone.

I've just noticed that this is your first post, so a belated welcome to the Forum.

Paul

 

[steve_nova]

Paul, you should enter this in the competition. I think it is an exceptional shot and I totally agree with you about the male in the background being out of focus and creating a degree of menace. As soon as I saw the picture, I knew what the male was doing as I have seen this behaviour before.

Empedid flies do a similar thing, presenting the female with a trussed up prey item before being allowed to mate. http://www.nature.com/nsu/990325/990325-9.html

Don't some Dragonflies do the same too?

 

[Paul Rule]

Update

Checking the garden this afternoon managed to find a couple of spider "nurseries" I managed to get a pic of one. The mother was on guard but every time I aproached for a shot she beat a hasty retreat behind the nearest leaf, so unfortunately she is not in view, but you can see the nest structure and that little grey blob is a mass of the young ones.