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|  » Stats |
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| | Welcome to our newest member, Ruralman | |  | 
13-04-2010, 01:47 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: South Northants
Posts: 3,289
| | | Spider eating an ant
Stony Stratford, Bucks.
I think maybe the ant was emitting a smell of some kind as (while I was taking these shots) other ants were coming up to the spider and checking the ant that was being eaten. They would walk all over the spider (I took pics of course) and touch the prey ant with their antennae. This investigation would take perhaps a minute and then the ant would move off - to be replaced shortly by another investigating ant. 
Bruce  |
13-04-2010, 03:27 PM
|  | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,832
| | | Re: Spider eating an ant
Afternoon Bruce,
Good shot - likely a Xysticus sp. eating a Lasius sp., but you can't really do better - the latter are hard/take long enough with a specimen.
Show us the one with the ants investigation predator/prey, please!
Take care, Jason 
Last edited by Jason Green; 13-04-2010 at 03:31 PM.
|
13-04-2010, 07:59 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Amersfoort, The Netherlands
Posts: 363
| | | Re: Spider eating an ant
I tend to think the spider is an Ozyptila praticola, and not a Xysticus.
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13-04-2010, 09:33 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: South Northants
Posts: 3,289
| | | Re: Spider eating an ant
Jason - Thanks for your comments, I'll post a couple of pics showing the other ants investigating tomorrow.
Frits - Checking the many images on the web I see you're spot-on with Ozyptila praticola - Thanks for your help.
Bruce |
14-04-2010, 11:10 AM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: South Northants
Posts: 3,289
| | | Re: Spider eating an ant
Couple more pics showing another ant investigating the demise of it's nest mate. This process was repeated several times by different ants. The spider never moved a muscle while he or she was being walked all over:  
Bruce |
14-04-2010, 12:16 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,832
| | | Re: Spider eating an ant
Thanks Bruce, interesting images. |
14-04-2010, 06:41 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: South Northants
Posts: 3,289
| | | Re: Spider eating an ant
Am I right in thinking that this is a female?
Bruce |
14-04-2010, 07:35 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,832
| | | Re: Spider eating an ant
It could be, though I can't see the tips ( I don't think!) to be sure - you were there though, so would have seen more than just the photos.
Do you have a lower viewpoint? |
14-04-2010, 08:26 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: South Northants
Posts: 3,289
| | | Re: Spider eating an ant
Unfortunately not Jason, whilst I took quite a few pics I'm afraid that was the lowest viewpoint I could get. The spider was on the far side of a large gatepost - frustratingly the gate was locked  .
Bruce |
14-04-2010, 08:30 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,832
| | | Re: Spider eating an ant
Have a quick look through your others, one may just show the tip or anatomical area showing, or not showing, the tip or area you'd expect to see the bulbous part
I can't see the bulbous part from these so may err on the female side. | | |
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