Vicious attack by spider in North Cyprus!

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
05/07/2010 10:46

As we go about our daily and even nightly business, how unaware we are about the life and death tussles that are happening in the marine, animal, bird and insect 'kingdom'!



While slurping coffee on the patio this morning, we witnessed such a struggle, between a hunting spider [approx 3/8" dia.] and an Earwig.



We watched as the spider stalked the Earwig, then dashed in to deliver its anaesthetising, fatal bite. However, the Earwig would not succumb to the paralysing bite so easily and after a 20 second tussle, the spider backed off and was watching intently as the Earwig lay writhing and twisting in its death throes, which took about 10 minutes. The spider, when satisfied that the Earwig's strength was exhausted, dashed in, grasping the Earwig's head between its mandibles and bracing its legs so that the Earwig's, still active, pincers stayed out of range. The spider then proceeded to suck the life fluids from the Earwig...



End of! - Bet you thought t'was a Tarantula attack!

proger1



Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 2919

Message Posted:
05/07/2010 10:53

Survival of the fittest at it's most basic. Watch out Dicky Attenborough, wait no, David. I always get them two mixed up.

Thanks for that, very descriptive, could almost imagine that as a video.

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
05/07/2010 11:26

And thank you, too, 'proger1' - you're a scholar and a gentleman!

frontalman



Joined: 28/02/2008
Posts: 499

Message Posted:
05/07/2010 11:34

For one awful moment I thoght you might be referring to one of our beloved forum members

spider


Joined: 03/01/2009
Posts: 5527

Message Posted:
05/07/2010 12:05

Mark as if i would,I enjoy this forum but i will not be insulted like yourself and most folk on here i do not like it one little bit.being insulted can be quite upsetting and i am a sensitive person,I am here to enjoy and most times i do,



Spider,X

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
05/07/2010 18:42

The protagonists on this thread topic are INSECTS - not FORUM MEMBERS - please keep it that way!

Tootie


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 2037

Message Posted:
05/07/2010 18:51

Shame you didnt catch it on film, Back in the Uk I used to have a good sized spider that took up home in the hole of a box file that was sat on a shelf in the office. I used to feed it ham by throwing small bits in her web and watch her come out and take it.

I know it was female because one day I saw her come out the hole on the side of the box file and discard the remains of another spider she had eaten.

Kept us all interested for days. Anything she didnt like she would throw out the web, but loved ham...

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
06/07/2010 08:14

And you are right about 'your' spider being a 'she'!



The other dead, dessicated spider was her [male] 'lover', whom she killed immediatedly after they'd had their first (and last) 'naughty'!

booitsme


Joined: 04/02/2009
Posts: 667

Message Posted:
06/07/2010 10:53

The animal. bird and insect kingdom always fascinates us. Can anyone tell us why sparrows avoid trying to eat dragonflies despite the fact that it would easy prey (apart from the fact that the wings would probably play havoc with their digestive system )? We came out to a very large, vey dead tarantula on the drive yesterday - we can only think it had been squashed to death by one of our dogs "playing" with it as, apart from being a little on the flat side it looked OK!

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
06/07/2010 18:45

I've never even seen a Swallow go for a dragonfly - a sparrow would be far too slow.





Maybe it was another Male Tarantula [or any male spider] who'd paid the 'ultimate price' - for just having a 'naughty'!

jeffsangrace


Joined: 22/12/2009
Posts: 267

Message Posted:
07/07/2010 10:59

i have we sat in our garden and there was a quite large red coloured dragon fly sittin on the edge of the pool, a sparrow came down and grabbed it and took it from 1 side of the pool to the other, then the dragon fly managed to get away and started to fly back over the pool at this time the sparrow darted back over to it and grabbed it again and then after hearing the initial buzzing noise of the tussle from the dragon flies wings the sparrow pecked off the wings and then ate it alive!!! poor dragon fly was only chilling by the pool!!! so there u have it the sparrows are more than quick enough to catch them if they want to!!

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
07/07/2010 11:09

That's very interesting, jeffsangrace!



We had Koi Carp ponds in Paphos, but never witnessed any bird snatching any of the various coloured dragonflies that frequented the area.

cyprusairsoft



Joined: 22/06/2009
Posts: 2066

Message Posted:
07/07/2010 12:25

my wife has similar traits !!!! ohhhhh matron

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
08/07/2010 15:39

What traits - or are you on the wrong thread topic, 'cyprusairsoft'???