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Wildlife Spotting

Photo by mauna Kunzah
Published on Project Noah
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42.083, -78.4884

Field Notes

Description:

One spider hitched a ride on another. Both spiders are black-brown. Top spider is smaller and its cephalothorax has a white border. Bottom spider has at least 6 white spots on its abdomen and is brown-colored; it also has banded legs.

Habitat:

On a plant adjacent to standing water (drainage ditch). The habitat is home to frogs, toads, slugs and snails.

Notes:

When I approached, both hopped away as one unit.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (5)

Wow, Zack, it's so cool that you think this is unusual. I'm glad to have captured this odd behavior and laughed when I saw the pair. I didn't know that wolf spiders were around this size. Thanks for your input!
Well I never! I'm totally stumped as to what is going on here. I believe you've captured a one-of-a-kind photo, mauna. I agree with Ashley that the top one appears to be a jumping spider. In comparison to its hitchhiker, the bottom one is far too small to be a Dolomedes. I believe it's a wolf spider.
Definitely very weird! I've never seen it before
Haha, okay, Ashley. This makes this even weirder!
Certainly not mating behavior, the top spider looks to be a jumping spider, and the bottom spider is one of the more terrestrial spiders. Don't think it would be possible for them to mate lol

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