Squaring Up

The sun came out briefly at lunchtime so my dog and I went searching for basking bugs. I spotted one of these Zebra Spiders the other day on an old dumper truck. I tapped the metal to see if it would emerge from under the bubbling paint and rust. No luck.

I always scour the south-facing wall of a block of aluminium glasshouses and found three of these cute jumping spiders. I have never photographed one of these black and white striped arachnids before and guessed the name. :) I love that the Latin name, Salticus scenicus means theatrical jumper. These spiders have very good eyesight and are known for changing their behaviour when they see a human. This one is waving his 'boxing gloves' or pedipalps, which are its sex organs, at me in a theatrically threatening manner.