I feel like apologising for posting on Pholcus spiders again, but the reason is they are everywhere in my house. I read somewhere that hoovers are their most feared predators, but today I came across a chunky-looking spider, a mouse spider, Scotophaeus blackwalli (than you to No. 9 Spider from Wild About Britain for identifying it for me) holding a Pholcus on her fangs on the kitchen ceiling. I climbed on a stepladder to get some close shots, although I couldn't get as close as I wanted. The Pholcus' spindly legs stood aside while the mouse spider finished its meal. After a few minutes, the mouse spider left the Pholcus empty carcass behind. It made a change from the Pholcus being the usual spider predator in the house.
A side view from the mouse spider
UPDATE
For a beautifully filmed video of a house spider vs a Pholcus spider see
1 comment:
well what a surprise, the weaker overcoming the stronger. How did it manage to snare and wrap the prey..marvellous film. cheers, George
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