How to photograph an invisible spider

[ecooper]

I took the picture below last summer in an area of exposed sand on Deas Island, near the Fraser River, outside Vancouver. I was collecting a small tub of sand to use as a substrate for some scorpions I had just acquired. While on my knees scooping up sand I spotted this amazing spider. I honestly don’t know how I saw it...this was the most amazing example of natural camouflage I have ever seen. The way this spider just disappears against the sand background is astounding. It helps that this critter was also a little dusty.

As far as I can tell this species is an orange and black wolf spider (Arctosa perita). However, I also read that this species is common in Europe. So I am a little dubious about the identification—unless the species has been introduced to British Columbia.

Cheers,
EC
www.macrocrutters.wordpress.com


invisible spider darker hard pass_filtered by ernie.cooper, on Flickr

[ckswank]

Very nice photograph. I immediately thought of the phrase "I'll bet you didn't see that one coming". Nope, I didn't.

Charlie

[anthony]

Talk about blending in, amazing.