Anyone else think this pic is exhibiting that optical illusion where something – in this case the spider looks like its on top of something when its actually below it? (Coffee cup / lid?)
One I recall Phil Plait the Bad Astronomer writing about once but I can’t remember if it has a specific name. It happens sometimes to lunar (& other) craters / domes?
birgerjohanssonsays
StevoR @ 1
I am familiar with the phenomenon when looking at lunar craters but the shades of the long spider legs in this case prevent the eye from misinterpreting the image.
I see at least one eye but the dark coloring masks the others. Can you tell if it is a male or a female?
Sad that the coming winter will doom it shortly.
beholdersays
@1 StevoR
You may be thinking of relief inversion. Here’s a striking example:
Rotate the image by 180 degrees and it becomes much easier to interpret.
nomdeplumesays
Intelligensia of the spider world
zygopterasays
Beautiful markings!
silvrhalidesays
I had one that lived in/on my window once, when I was just out of college. Predictably, my mother had full fledged hysterics when she saw it. I pointed out that it was on the outside and that it had to eat a massive amount of pesky insects and other arthropods to maintain that body weight/size… no go. (It was large enough that it would not have fit into a red Solo cup or even a 7-11 Big Gulp cup.) Finally resolved the issue by telling her if she stayed out of my room, she wouldn’t have to deal with it or look at it and that no, I was not going to kill it just because she was behaving like an idiot.
Some people have no appreciation for the beauty of nature.
Everybody likes orb weaver webs with dewdrops, nobody likes the orb weavers. Can’t have one without the other, people!
Hemidactylussays
silvrhalide @6
What’s wrong with orb weavers? I have spiny-backeds and they are one of the most aesthetically stunning spiders of all!
Long-jaweds are ok too. I don’t get the alleged orb weaver hate.
I did just evict a cellar spider from next to my bathroom sink. Shredded its web with a pole. It tip toed across the floor into my laundry area to rethink its living accommodations. You gotta assert boundaries with spiders. Sorry.
I did watch it leave its established web area without further incident. Seemed a bit put off.
silvrhalidesays
@7 I don’t think there’s anything wrong with orb weavers! They come in pretty colors too.
Tried to point out to my mother (after the fit of hysterics) that the wolf spiders were furry, so are dogs and cats and gerbils, people like those… no go.
Personally, I like the bold jumping spiders. The green is so pretty and glittery. And they’re furry too! Although the spider in your link is very colorful and pretty.
FWIW, I am convinced (as are any number of other people) that my parents brought the wrong kid home from the hospital… they are immune to logic and seem to be madly in love with toxic chemicals that will kill them, whether it’s nicotine, alcohol or pyrethroids. You can’t fix stupid.
StevoRsays
@ ^ Hemidactylus : I’d be a bit “put off”” if someone destroyed all my work and home too! Probly much more than just a bit put off even..
@6. silvrhalide : I like orb weavers. Beautiful spiders. See them quite often during bushcare sessions. Try hard not to disturb their webs as long as I see them in time – and, yes, those webs are stunning when wet and glistening.
@2.birgerjohansson :
I am familiar with the phenomenon when looking at lunar craters but the shades of the long spider legs in this case prevent the eye from misinterpreting the image.
When you look closer yeah.
I see at least one eye but the dark coloring masks the others. Can you tell if it is a male or a female?
Sad that the coming winter will doom it shortly.
Yes it is. Dunno how to sex spiders personally (not an expert here) except knowing that as a general rule the female is usually larger often by quite a lot. Without the other gender of same spider species for size comparion I’ve got no idea. Size of the pedipalps maybe but then can’t really see them well from this angle & don’t know enough myself to say anyhow.
PZ would know I’m sure.
CompulsoryAccount7746, Sky Captainsays
I was in a parking lot the other day and saw a wolf-like jumper in my roof rail, skittering back and forth trailing silk and raising its abdomen at me. A red vehicle circled the lot, a few car-lengths away, and the spider slowly spun in place to watch it. Good eyes.
Awesome arachnid! Good photo here.
Anyone else think this pic is exhibiting that optical illusion where something – in this case the spider looks like its on top of something when its actually below it? (Coffee cup / lid?)
One I recall Phil Plait the Bad Astronomer writing about once but I can’t remember if it has a specific name. It happens sometimes to lunar (& other) craters / domes?
StevoR @ 1
I am familiar with the phenomenon when looking at lunar craters but the shades of the long spider legs in this case prevent the eye from misinterpreting the image.
I see at least one eye but the dark coloring masks the others. Can you tell if it is a male or a female?
Sad that the coming winter will doom it shortly.
@1 StevoR
You may be thinking of relief inversion. Here’s a striking example:
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/a-grand-snow-rimmed-canyon
Rotate the image by 180 degrees and it becomes much easier to interpret.
Intelligensia of the spider world
Beautiful markings!
I had one that lived in/on my window once, when I was just out of college. Predictably, my mother had full fledged hysterics when she saw it. I pointed out that it was on the outside and that it had to eat a massive amount of pesky insects and other arthropods to maintain that body weight/size… no go. (It was large enough that it would not have fit into a red Solo cup or even a 7-11 Big Gulp cup.) Finally resolved the issue by telling her if she stayed out of my room, she wouldn’t have to deal with it or look at it and that no, I was not going to kill it just because she was behaving like an idiot.
Some people have no appreciation for the beauty of nature.
Everybody likes orb weaver webs with dewdrops, nobody likes the orb weavers. Can’t have one without the other, people!
silvrhalide @6
What’s wrong with orb weavers? I have spiny-backeds and they are one of the most aesthetically stunning spiders of all!
https://www.texasento.net/cancriformisII.jpg
Long-jaweds are ok too. I don’t get the alleged orb weaver hate.
I did just evict a cellar spider from next to my bathroom sink. Shredded its web with a pole. It tip toed across the floor into my laundry area to rethink its living accommodations. You gotta assert boundaries with spiders. Sorry.
I did watch it leave its established web area without further incident. Seemed a bit put off.
@7 I don’t think there’s anything wrong with orb weavers! They come in pretty colors too.
Tried to point out to my mother (after the fit of hysterics) that the wolf spiders were furry, so are dogs and cats and gerbils, people like those… no go.
Personally, I like the bold jumping spiders. The green is so pretty and glittery. And they’re furry too! Although the spider in your link is very colorful and pretty.
FWIW, I am convinced (as are any number of other people) that my parents brought the wrong kid home from the hospital… they are immune to logic and seem to be madly in love with toxic chemicals that will kill them, whether it’s nicotine, alcohol or pyrethroids. You can’t fix stupid.
@ ^ Hemidactylus : I’d be a bit “put off”” if someone destroyed all my work and home too! Probly much more than just a bit put off even..
@6. silvrhalide : I like orb weavers. Beautiful spiders. See them quite often during bushcare sessions. Try hard not to disturb their webs as long as I see them in time – and, yes, those webs are stunning when wet and glistening.
@2.birgerjohansson :
When you look closer yeah.
Yes it is. Dunno how to sex spiders personally (not an expert here) except knowing that as a general rule the female is usually larger often by quite a lot. Without the other gender of same spider species for size comparion I’ve got no idea. Size of the pedipalps maybe but then can’t really see them well from this angle & don’t know enough myself to say anyhow.
PZ would know I’m sure.
I was in a parking lot the other day and saw a wolf-like jumper in my roof rail, skittering back and forth trailing silk and raising its abdomen at me. A red vehicle circled the lot, a few car-lengths away, and the spider slowly spun in place to watch it. Good eyes.