I toyed with using the title: "War of the Worlds" but thought
H. G. Wells and
Orson Welles might object.
This is a photo essay about a battle between a small Spider (a pale, small
Daddy Long Legs type) and a large "
Common Assassin Bug - Pristhesancus plagipennis . This was clearly going to be a battle between weight and strength against technology of the Web.
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Frame 1
Live Assassin Bug, and Spider keeping a safe distance. |
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Frame 2
Spider attempting to secure the leg of the Assassin Bug.
It was only this leg which was securely holding the Bug.
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The Assassin Bug was caught by one leg (primarily), and it was clearly not happy. Whenever the Spider approached the Assassin Bug, it would struggle, and it tried to strike at the Spider. Naturally, the Spider would retreat out of striking range.
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Frame 3
Spider making another approach. |
I kept hoping the Spider would wrap the Bug up, with its web, but that was not part of its plan. It certainly had some such idea, but its main weapon seemed to be to tighten the main string of web which was holding the leg of the Assassin Bug. The little spider is surprising strong, and able to lift the Bug several inches, but then seemed to not be able to circle around and under the Bug's wings, which was what I was anticipating.
Eventually the bug must have lost strength, and presumably the Spider then went in for a death bite.I did not have enough patience to wait around to witness the Spider making the "kill".
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Spider making another close approach to the
Assassin Bug |
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| And then the Spider retreats away (yet again). |
Certainly, in the morning, there was the bug all neatly wrapped up.
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Win: Spider.
Lose: Assassin Bug |
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Spider has retreated to safety under a ledge of the
HardiPlank "Weatherboard cladding". |
In fact there were 3 identical battles taking place on my verandah at the same time - so it must be a seasonal thing. I have seen these Assassin Bugs previously, but never so many on one night.
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