Ultraviolet Fluorescence in Spiders

It is rather common knowledge that scorpions emit a bright blue glow under ultraviolet light. Recently, we've found that some millipedes and harvestmen exhibit the same behavior as well. This made us shine our UV torches at almost every subject we saw. What resulted on this night, was a really pleasant discovery. :)

1. Victor found this Bird Dung Spider (Pasilobus sp.) which we often shot. This is the rear view.


2. The Bird Dung Spider (Pasilobus sp.) dangling on it's web.


3. The web of this Bird Dung Spider (Pasilobus sp.) is a bizarre array of dangling silk lined with sticky droplets to catch prey. The spider waits patiently on the far-right.


4. Face to face with the Bird Dung Spider (Pasilobus sp.)


5. Lo and behold, under ultraviolet light, the Bird Dung Spider (Pasilobus sp.) illuminates to resemble some precious blue stone!! Even the eyes were a creepy blue! Thanks to Melvyn for taking the effort to shine the UV light at almost every subject we saw that night. :P

There were actually many other interesting subjects in the night... gonna be a long post!


6. Many Flatid Planthoppers (Flatidae) lined the branches of trees along the path, including it's nymphs. We searched for one emerging from a moult to no avail.


7. A beautiful Comb-Footed Spider (Chrysso sp.?) was found hiding under a leaf


8. Another Comb-Footed Spider (Theriididae), looks like a male


9. Found a Jumping Spider (Salticidae) guarding her spiderlings, but it was way too high and I couldn't get a good shot.


10. Andy found this Garden Spider (Eriovixia pseudocentrodes) with a pointed abdomen


11. The Garden Spider (Eriovixia pseudocentrodes) looked pregnant and could be laying eggs soon! Actually the term should be gravid, which means carrying eggs, while pregnant means carrying live young. Thanks to Mark for pointing it out. :) I still tend to use terms for mammals in the captions, as I usually end up anthropomorphising the subjects.


12. It was a pleasant surprise to find a Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae) fresh out of moult. Unfortunately the rest were far ahead and I could not call them back to take some shots of this fella.


13. Dangling only by a single line of silk, the Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae) was spinning wildly!


14. Melvyn found this tiny Mantis Parasitic Wasp (Podagrion sp.) on a mantis ootheca (egg mass), maybe 5mm body length!


15. The Mantis Parasitic Wasp (Podagrion sp.) was busy ovipositing (laying eggs) into the mantis ootheca!


16. There were many Long-Legged Sac Spiders (Miturgidae) running around


17. The Long-Legged Sac Spider (Miturgidae) typically has very long chelicerae


18. I found this cute Jumping Spider (Salticidae) just beside the Miturgid!


19. The patterns on this Jumping Spider (Salticidae) were quite pretty


20. The others found this male Net-Casting Spider (Deinopis sp.) with it's usual Ogre-Face.


21. The palps of the male Net-Casting Spider (Deinopis sp.) are swollen, all ready to mate!


22. The stick-like body of the Net-Casting Spider (Deinopis sp.) camouflages itself well among thin twigs


23. Final shot of the classic ogre-face :)


24. A common Cone-Headed Katydid (Tettigoniidae) from an unusual view


25. Juvenile Golden Comb Footed Spider (Chrysso sp.)


26. Another Long-Legged Sac Spider (Miturgidae). This one looks pregnant with the large abdomen!


27. Close up on the face of the Long-Legged Sac Spider (Miturgidae)


28. Interesting pose of the Praying Mantis (Acromantis sp.)


29. Melvyn found this pair of mating Broad-Headed Bugs (Alydidae)


30. This Assassin Bug (Reduviidae) was just above the broad-headed bugs but refused to stop walking!


31. Say Yiam, Ron and Kit Ming were shooting this queen ant that has dropped her wings


32. The colours were lovely!! But I wondered if she could still start her colony as she appeared to be walking around weakly.


33. One of the common Mantids on the ground, so I took a customary passport photo. :)


34. The permanent resident of the park, the Leaf-Rolling Weevil (Attelabidae), finally made an appearance!


35. Say Yiam found another Mantis Parasitic Wasp (Podagrion sp.)


36. This time I managed to go closer


37. And then the Mantis Parasitic Wasp (Podagrion sp.) started ovipositing again!


38. Yet another Long-Legged Sac Spider (Miturgidae) with a caterpillar prey!


39. Long-Legged Sac Spider (Miturgidae) sucking on the juices of the caterpillar


40. Shot of the Long-Legged Sac Spider's hungry face!


41. On our way out, the others in the group spotted a Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Poltys sp.) on it's web


42. The Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Poltys sp.) cringed as we went closer


43. Dorsal view of the Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Poltys sp.).. can't tell that it's a spider from here!


44. The Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Poltys sp.) started to dance around


45. It then ran to hide under a leaf and stared at me


46. Final subject of the night.. a Garden Spider (Parawixia sp.)


47. View of the abdomen

The complete album can be viewed here.