Spiderbloggers

Yes, I would be keen to hear anything about the black wishbone spider. That's Aname atra, according to my quick search. I read a lot about Aname spp. in Barbara York Main's, "Spiders". That's reasonably close to Stanwellia, from what I read. I couldn't find any proper studies on Stanwellia behaviour. Mine cover their burrows so well, that if my white plastic knives are moved, I have no idea where the burrow was/is. Unfortunately, I suspect the extreme heat and dry has really reduced my population. I found none out last night, but now that it has rained, some may uncover their burrows and emerge. I had hundreds marked out only two years ago!

Do you see them often?

She's come back! We've finally had some cold and wet and the trapdoors are emerging. Annie's back! I was so pelased to see her. That means that she was underground for six months without opening her burrow. Not bad survival power.

Another of them - Floodpath - who I haven't mentioned before, seems to have been underground for well over a year. She was dug up by birds, but escaped and dug another burrow very nearby where her first burrow was dug. This was about three years ago. That burrow gets flooded. I ahve some photos. I keep thinking she is gone and then the burrow opens up again. It is in the middle of a track that is driven on sometimes. The burrow disappeared well over a year ago, and I check it every time I go down that track. I have not seen it open for well over a year. Maybe I missed it. She is a full sized spider, so probably a female.

I will add photographs and a new blog for Floodpath when I dig up (pun intended) her old photos. I have never actually managed to photogrpah her, but I have been recording her burrow for ages.

It is so good to have my trapdoors back!