maude Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 We have a number of large,25mm long bodied striped spiders in our garden which we havent see in 4 years in the vendee.Can anyone direct us into their identification?Also what are the large centipede type insects we occasionally find inside or out.They resemble false eyelashes.Are they harmless or otherwise? Thanks ,Maude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 Hi Maude, pretty spiders aren't they?Argyope fasciée / (Argiope bruennichi)You will be pleased to know that the spiders won't hurt you.But this one, Scutigera coleoptrata (or Scutigère véloce), can give a bit of a bite.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pre Monier Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 Hello MaudI think the spider you have seen Argiope bruennichi - the tiger or wasp spider. They normally live around the Med. or north Africa but recently they have been seen in the UK and Northern Europe. The web has white zig-zags radiating from the centre. They prefer meadows but we have one in the Ginko, one in fig tree, one amongst the bear's breeches as well as the usual in the fields. The ginko spider seems to have disappeared but has left what we assume to be a nest. It is beautifully constructed - the same colouring as the spider ie wasp striped and emulates the spiders abdomen. The whole thing is suspended by a cobwebs and we have been watching all our other spiders to see if they will do the same thing. I have searched the web but can find no reference to this. Hope someone else can explain.Glynis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 Hi Glynis, here's a picture of the "egg cacoon".The baby spiders hatch the following spring, if they are lucky enough to survive.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pre Monier Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 Hello ChrisThanks for that. They should have a good chance of surviving as the nest is in the centre of the ginko biloba which is still small enough for us to fleece in winter.Glynis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pre Monier Posted August 4, 2006 Share Posted August 4, 2006 Hi Chris,Thought you may like to know that the colony is growing at an amazing rate. Lots of egg cocoons around far too many to protect. Saw the most incredible thing, one of the largest of the spiders seemed to be comatose in her web, it was only when we looked closely that we discovered that she was in the grip of a praying mantis and not a large one at that. Later the eggs were missing - would that be the mantis also.Glynis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Hi Glynis, Fascinating isn't it, the spider eats flies, grasshoppers and other small (and not so small insects), and along comes a mantis and eats the spider, and if the mantis doesn't watch out, along comes a little bird and eats it, and so it goes on. I think that mantis only eat insects, so it seems more probable that some other creature ate the eggs!!Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 On the subject of our 8 legged friends, have you seen this one Chris http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5244840.stm?ls .It's put the Austrianz into a bit of a tizzzzz... What's the chance of them being here too? [:-))]John.P.S. Nice photo Chris. You got a new camera??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Nice one John, that should get everyone going!! I don't know if they are in France, but if not, I'm sure they will be...Same old camera, can't afford a new one at the moment due to imminent land purchase, which is to be named "the new bathroom" which we now won't be having! Have e-mailed you, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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