It's cold outside! I'm missing the warm, summer months that buzz with life. I'm particularly missing the arthropod diversity that I see in and around my own home. I live in the city and, even here, we humans are outnumbered by the diversity of insects and arachnids. Even in January, I'm sure a thorough hunt could turn up a few live arthropods. Or, instead, I could finally do something with these pictures I've been sitting on for months. It may keep me busy as I wait out the winter cold.
Here's a photo I took last August. I was in my laundry room and out of the corner of my eye I noticed the swift movement of this hunter grabbing a fly out of the air.
I immediately ran to fetch my camera and started snapping photos as the meal was devoured. This spider appears to be in the genus
Platycryptus. The species either
californicus or
undatus. They are jumping spiders in the family Salticidae.
