Very Small luminescing spider

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Scismgenie San Bernardino, CA Mar 29, 2009

I encountered a very small (about 2-3 mm) spider hanging from a long web inside my house.

I got out my macro gear and started taking photos. I did a few existing light shots,with 'fair ' results, and needed more light, so I broke out the flash unit.

To my surprise, after a few flash exposures, the spider began emitting a golden glow. The more flashes the stronger the glow. I did a little looking around and found that there has historically been only one credible report of glowing spiders in the past, with no pictures made, dating from Oz in 1926.
I live in California.

The photo is one of the existing light photos after the glowing began.

I would think that Glowing is a defensive mechanism, perhaps to make the spider appear larger and more unappealing?

Anyone ID this species?

This message was edited Apr 1, 2009 3:08 AM

This message was edited Apr 8, 2009 2:05 AM

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Scismgenie San Bernardino, CA Mar 29, 2009

Here is another photo of the same spider.

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Scismgenie San Bernardino, CA Mar 29, 2009

This is a third photo which indicates scale

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Scismgenie San Bernardino, CA Mar 29, 2009

The bad news is that my wife also encountered this spider, and terminated it.

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artemiss Springfield, IL(Zone 5b) Apr 02, 2009

I have no idea, (other than, I, much like you're wife, would have ended any further research unless said arachnid was safely contained out of my line of sight) but I do think that is really interesting, and I hope you find out what kind of spider it was..

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imzadi Jackson, SC(Zone 8a) Apr 08, 2009

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/12/great_glowing_spiders.php

some spider have florecence in their bodies like scorpions do. they glow when certain lights are applied

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