Out on the tiles. Well,let me re-phrase that, down on the tiles of our terrace this afternoon, I was almost going to tread on this little fellow (accidentally, of course), when I couldn't help admiring his outfit.
He's only as big as your little fingernail, always assuming that it is a "he" that is and not a "she", but I just had to snap him and show him to the world. After all, in the post about all the wild flowers (A Bit of Botany...) someone called Matt (but he didn't fool me, I reckon it's Monty Don from BBC Gardener's World under a pseudonym) ID'd all the plants that I couldn't name.
So maybe there's an arachnid anorak out there who'll tell me what species he/she is...
I think it is the ladybird spider
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eresus
all you need to know here.. have fun.
You know, I thought that it may be called that, but it seemed too obvious. Thanks Anon, after checking the URL you gave me, I also found this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/352.shtml
ReplyDeleteOh, and judging from the info in that last URL, he is a male. The females don't have the markings and rarely leave the nest. So maybe he WAS out on the tiles...
DeleteI have been reading your blogs for a couple of months, Very entertaining, Yvonne and I are heading to Kalithea on the 26th May, for our 3rd sabbatical in Rhodes.Please keep blogging.
ReplyDeleteLiam.
William.mcgrath3@ntlworld.com Hate being anonymous! have a good one!
Hello Liam, always extremely pleased to hear from someone new, especially when they ID themselves. Hope you enjoy your time in Kallithea. No doubt you'll be paying a visit to the springs (a picture of which appears on the downloads page, seen from aboard an excursion boat). It's really quite beautiful there isn't it.
ReplyDeleteWe're well and truly back in the old routine now, looking forward to starting my excursions in just a couple of weeks.
I'm definitely not Monty Don John :) I would have known this was a Ladybird Spider too, but someone beat me to it for the ID. I have been in Rhodes for 2 weeks, part work (wildlife tour of the island), part relaxation. I just got back to the UK tonight and am already missing Rhodes!
ReplyDeleteAll the best and keep uploading nature pics! :)
Matt