The pirate spider

Images taken in a controlled environment or with a posed subject. All subject types.

Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau

MarkSturtevant
Posts: 1946
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 6:52 pm
Location: Michigan, U.S.A.
Contact:

The pirate spider

Post by MarkSturtevant »

I am posting this here because most of the pictures are done at a table under controlled conditions.
I came across a pirate spider (Mimetus puritanus) in the yard. Pirate spiders are specialists in that they eat other spiders almost exclusively. With some mixed feelings about it, I decided to try to photograph this spider while it was doing its thing. There were orb weavers (I think cross orbweavers, Araneus didematus).in our front yard, so I got the camera and put the pirate spider near the web of one of the orb weavers. You can see Mimetus in this picture in the upper left. She froze the moment she contacted the orb weaver web. There was a definite impression that she was deciding on what to do next.
ImagePirate spider and future prey by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

Unfortunately, I then discovered that the batteries for the flash were dying, so I ran off to replace them. Just a couple minutes, but it was already over when I returned (@$#%$$!!). I wanted to see what happened! Pirate spiders commonly go right into the web of their prey, and there they use their long legs to hold the victim at a distance while they plant a delicate bite onto the end of one of their legs. The effects are described as very quick since their venom is especially potent against spiders. That sure seemed to be the case here since in just a short time the orb weaver was already subdued!
ImagePirate spider and prey by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

Well, I did have a good time taking pictures of the meal. These pictures are stacked from 2-9 focus bracketed pictures taken by hand while seated at our patio table.
ImagePirate spider and prey by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
ImagePirate spider and prey by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

Is is just me, or do the markings on the abdomen look … maniacal?
ImagePirate spider and prey by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
ImagePirate spider and prey by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

And here are some before-dinner staged shots of Mimetus. These too are focus stacked.
ImagePirate spider by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
ImagePirate spider by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

Just a closing note. Although I did not get to see how Mimetus got the spider, it is often described that they fool their victim into thinking that they have prey trapped in the web, so the other spider attacks and gets a big surprise. But this is now disputed since the web vibrations that pirate spiders make do not resemble that of prey. So its been proposed that pirate spiders instead fool the other spider into thinking that they have a kleptoparasitic spider (which is a spider that enters webs to steal food. It happens). This causes the other spider to either ignore the interloper until its too late, or to approach to shoo them away.

Thanks for looking!
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters

Sym P. le
Posts: 246
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2019 9:53 pm
Location: BC

Re: The pirate spider

Post by Sym P. le »

Nice photo essay. I love the profile view, and yes, maniacal is an apt description.

This reminds me of my first spider preying on spider. They were both on the porch stair rail. I noticed both some distance apart and not thinking anything nefarious afoot, I left the scene. Five minutes later it was all over. With no webbing involved, it looked like the victor just spewed gobs of digestive juices all over the prey. It wasn't pretty.

Anyway, sorry to distract but to the uninitiated, if you come across a setup, it could make for an interesting video or photo shoot.

pawelfoto
Posts: 90
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2021 2:51 pm
Location: Poland

Re: The pirate spider

Post by pawelfoto »

Great story and beautiful photos! Some people go for a walk with their dogs, others shoot cannibals
== :lol: thanks, Pawel

MarkSturtevant
Posts: 1946
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 6:52 pm
Location: Michigan, U.S.A.
Contact:

Re: The pirate spider

Post by MarkSturtevant »

Sym P. le wrote:
Fri Jun 04, 2021 12:06 am
This reminds me of my first spider preying on spider. They were both on the porch stair rail. I noticed both some distance apart and not thinking anything nefarious afoot, I left the scene. Five minutes later it was all over. With no webbing involved, it looked like the victor just spewed gobs of digestive juices all over the prey. It wasn't pretty.
Thank you. What you had there was possibly a spitting spider: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3FuhyXbnpo
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters

Lou Jost
Posts: 5945
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2015 7:03 am
Location: Ecuador
Contact:

Re: The pirate spider

Post by Lou Jost »

Really nice work. I'm sorry you missed the moment of truth. I am sure you'll not stop until you do get it!

Sym P. le
Posts: 246
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2019 9:53 pm
Location: BC

Re: The pirate spider

Post by Sym P. le »

Interesting video. I don't think that's what I found but I was surprised by the volume of digestive enzymes that were exuded as the victor consumed its prey. The meal continued well into the next morning.

svbreakaway
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 4:55 am
Location: Central FL
Contact:

Re: The pirate spider

Post by svbreakaway »

Many here have probably read it, but in the gist of this thread's appreciation of spiders, a very entertaining sci-fi novel is Children of Time. It was the 2016 Arthur C. Clark Award winner. When it came to the inevitable showdown between the spiders and humans at the end, I was definitely cheering for the spiders.

Mike Niemi

matefute
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2024 5:45 am
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Re: The pirate spider

Post by matefute »

Interesting video. When you shoot, it didn't find you.

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic