I'm fairly familiar with many of these guys in and around my home...but we found this one up at the park last week and I can't seem to find anything on it.
It seems to be a deep reddish color.
Can anyone pinpoint what type it is?
This message was edited May 13, 2009 7:58 AM
This appears to be a purseweb spider (family Atypidae) in the genus Sphodros - see http://tinyurl.com/rec2px for an example. They have very large chelicerae for their body size, but are not dangerous to humans. They construct tube-like webs, usually disguised with debris and propped up against tree trunks and the like - see http://tinyurl.com/qso9j6 for an example. When potential prey wanders onto the web, the spider uses its long 'fangs' to grasp the prey through the web, and then drag it into the interior of the web for a leisurely lunch. They rarely leave their webs except when seeking mates.
One site I read, says that these guys actually shed...could it be that this one has recently shed, thus the more red color than any of the photos I'm finding?
