What are these creatures?

Frankentooth · 06-14-2013, 04:53 PM

Hi All--Any idea what these little creatures are? Spiders? Ticks? Something else? They move really quickly and seem to like hanging out on the outside wooden surfaces. Thanks in advance!

Chaselady · 06-14-2013, 05:00 PM

Eight legs, is it a spider? Whatever it is, it's ugly!

SteveA · 06-14-2013, 05:38 PM

Drum roll please...

a Zebra Jumping Spider (Salticus scenicus )

Interesting little guy, nothing to worry about unless you happen to be a small bug.

More info here.

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2010/roth_lynn/

Frankentooth · 06-14-2013, 06:12 PM

Thank you so much for solving the mystery! Very interesting indeed!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveA

Drum roll please...

a Zebra Jumping Spider (Salticus scenicus )

Interesting little guy, nothing to worry about unless you happen to be a small bug.

More info here.

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2010/roth_lynn/

Life is Wild · 11-03-2013, 11:16 AM

Jumping spiders don't tend to bite people, even if disturbed, so they aren't scary at all. And best of all, they are very exciting to watch because they hunt actively, stalking their insect prey like a lion, creeping up by moving one leg at a time very slowly until they are within pouncing distance...then, of course, they jump on it! They still have silk producing abilities which they can use for rappelling and breaking a fall, but they don't build webs to trap prey, so no need to worry about them making a mess. Let a few live in your windows and they will hunt down flies for you.

Orion · 11-04-2013, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chaselady

Eight legs, is it a spider? Whatever it is, it's ugly!

Spiders can be beautiful.

Like this beautiful dock spider that I photographed on our dock.....

Greene's Basin Girl · 11-05-2013, 02:32 AM

I'm sorry, but dock spiders are never beautiful in my eyes. You are welcome to have all of mine!

rgilfert · 11-05-2013, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green's Basin Girl

I'm sorry, but dock spiders are never beautiful in my eyes. You are welcome to have all of mine!

Amen.....I couldn't agree more!!

Lakesrider · 11-05-2013, 08:26 AM

Looks like a new dock eh? I love spiders. So much so that I wake up at night in a sweat trying to kill one that isn't there. All it takes for me is to see one before I go to bed and I love them so much I get these vivid dreams of them crawling up my arm or something......My wife just loves the fact that at 2 am I am trying to catch a nonexistent spider in bed.....with a book.

GTO · 11-05-2013, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orion

Spiders can be beautiful.

Like this beautiful dock spider that I photographed on our dock.....

We have a duplicate at our dock this past summer. Any idea what kind of spider it is? If you put your finger near it, he would come towards you instead of away, I won't do that again

whalebackpoint'r · 11-05-2013, 09:58 AM

What do dock spiders eat?

Pineedles · 11-05-2013, 10:56 AM

When insects, small tadpoles or small fish move and vibrate the water just so, the spider lunges forward and grabs its prey with both legs and fangs simultaneously.

For the complete text, including a section on them biting humans

, go here.

http://www.ottertooth.com/Temagami/N...hingspider.htm

SunsetPointWentworth · 11-05-2013, 09:40 PM

The worst is when you go to flip over the canoe, after it has been sitting upside down on the beach so rain won't get in. And wham! A spider the size of a small dog runs past your hand

Greene's Basin Girl · 11-05-2013, 10:04 PM

Myself and forum member Nhescape have been around dock spiders as long as we can remember. We will never like them. We have always been terrified of them. Every time we get in our boats the fear of the creepy dock spider takes over our thoughts.

Pineedles · 11-06-2013, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunsetPointWentworth

The worst is when you go to flip over the canoe, after it has been sitting upside down on the beach so rain won't get in. And wham! A spider the size of a small dog runs past your hand

What's worse is when you flip over that boat and a swarm of bees attack! Been there, done that. Ouch.

06-14-2013, 04:53 PM	#1
Frankentooth Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 10 Thanks: 5 Thanked 10 Times in 2 Posts	What are these creatures? Hi All--Any idea what these little creatures are? Spiders? Ticks? Something else? They move really quickly and seem to like hanging out on the outside wooden surfaces. Thanks in advance! Attached Images

06-14-2013, 05:38 PM	#3
SteveA Deceased Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 2,311 Thanks: 1,070 Thanked 2,054 Times in 497 Posts	What you have there is.... Drum roll please... a Zebra Jumping Spider (Salticus scenicus ) Interesting little guy, nothing to worry about unless you happen to be a small bug. More info here. http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2010/roth_lynn/ __________________ "Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry he'll be a mile away and barefoot!" unknown

11-03-2013, 11:16 AM	#5
Life is Wild Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 28 Thanks: 22 Thanked 16 Times in 9 Posts	Arm chair safari Jumping spiders don't tend to bite people, even if disturbed, so they aren't scary at all. And best of all, they are very exciting to watch because they hunt actively, stalking their insect prey like a lion, creeping up by moving one leg at a time very slowly until they are within pouncing distance...then, of course, they jump on it! They still have silk producing abilities which they can use for rappelling and breaking a fall, but they don't build webs to trap prey, so no need to worry about them making a mess. Let a few live in your windows and they will hunt down flies for you.

11-05-2013, 09:58 AM	#11
whalebackpoint'r Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 127 Thanks: 30 Thanked 50 Times in 25 Posts	What are these creatures? What do dock spiders eat?

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06-14-2013, 05:00 PM	#2
Chaselady Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Melvin Village Posts: 309 Thanks: 150 Thanked 105 Times in 73 Posts	Eight legs, is it a spider? Whatever it is, it's ugly!

The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to SteveA For This Useful Post:
bclaker (11-03-2013), Frankentooth (06-14-2013), Lakegeezer (06-14-2013), Rattlesnake Gal (06-17-2013)

11-05-2013, 02:32 AM	#7
Greene's Basin Girl Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Moultonborough, NH Posts: 1,515 Thanks: 394 Thanked 527 Times in 269 Posts	I'm sorry, but dock spiders are never beautiful in my eyes. You are welcome to have all of mine!

11-05-2013, 08:26 AM	#9
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Looks like a new dock eh? I love spiders. So much so that I wake up at night in a sweat trying to kill one that isn't there. All it takes for me is to see one before I go to bed and I love them so much I get these vivid dreams of them crawling up my arm or something......My wife just loves the fact that at 2 am I am trying to catch a nonexistent spider in bed.....with a book.

11-05-2013, 10:56 AM	#12
Pineedles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Moultonborough & CT Posts: 2,545 Thanks: 1,072 Thanked 668 Times in 367 Posts	When insects, small tadpoles or small fish move and vibrate the water just so, the spider lunges forward and grabs its prey with both legs and fangs simultaneously. For the complete text, including a section on them biting humans , go here. http://www.ottertooth.com/Temagami/N...hingspider.htm

11-05-2013, 09:40 PM	#13
SunsetPointWentworth Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: claremont/wolfeboro Posts: 155 Thanks: 114 Thanked 51 Times in 26 Posts	The worst is when you go to flip over the canoe, after it has been sitting upside down on the beach so rain won't get in. And wham! A spider the size of a small dog runs past your hand

11-05-2013, 10:04 PM	#14
Greene's Basin Girl Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Moultonborough, NH Posts: 1,515 Thanks: 394 Thanked 527 Times in 269 Posts	Myself and forum member Nhescape have been around dock spiders as long as we can remember. We will never like them. We have always been terrified of them. Every time we get in our boats the fear of the creepy dock spider takes over our thoughts.