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Photo © cyric some rights reserved
Barden Reservoir (Google, OSM)
41.7952590292, -71.6788381939
Accuracy: 49m
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Description

A male Black Purseweb Spider on the road next to Barden Reservoir in Scituate, RI.

Comments & Identifications

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Posted by cyric 12 months ago (Flag)
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Pretty amazing! Do males seek out females in the spring or something?

Posted by kueda 9 months ago (Flag)
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Yes that seems to be the case. The females seldom leave their tubular pursewebs, but the males will range around during the day in search of mates. At least that's what I've gleaned from this pdf (found on the wikipedia page):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphodros_niger
http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/5390/1/N2704.pdf

Coincidentally, about 3 weeks after finding this one (which was my first) I found another at Great Swamp Management Area. I'll probably post it at some point, since I got a slightly better photo of that one.

Posted by cyric 9 months ago (Flag)
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