The previous Fall I had a very fat marbled orb weaver (Araneus marmoreus) in the garden. She must have laid an egg sac because I found this mass of hatchlings the following spring. They stayed there for several days. They would always scatter when approached, but later they would re-group into a tight mass. I love all those little baby bottoms!
Spiderlings by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
Spiderlings by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
In the same time frame I was keeping several Chinese mantis oothecae (Tenodera sinensis) on the front porch. As the weather warmed, I would regularly check on them in the hopes of photographing their hatching, but I was always too late (I think they tend to hatch before sunrise). But this one was still in the process. When they emerge, they must shed a transparent membrane before they can fully extend their legs and elongate their prothorax.
Emerging mantids by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
Here is a close up, where you can see some are not out of their hatchng membrane. The bulging heads are used to push out of the membrane. Truth be told, I believe they hatched earlier but became stuck.
Emerging mantids by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
A hatchling on a tiny mushroom.
Mantid hatchling by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
And here is a tiny (but adult) wolf spider carrying her egg sac. Who knew that wolf spiders could be this small? I don't know the species.
Little mama wolf by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
Thank you for looking!
Tiny predators
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- MarkSturtevant
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Tiny predators
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters
Dept. of Still Waters
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Re: Tiny predators
The mantis on the mushroom looks as though it came right from a late 60's vinyl album cover. Great shots, all of 'em!
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Re: Tiny predators
Great images !