discussion Slow worm

[Andy2035]

Reminded me of when I worked in Saudi.Wolf spiders used to come out at night and run around inside the Hardened Aircraft Shelters where we kept the RSAF Tornado's.Those things were fearless. If you poked them with a stick they'd run at you with their front legs in the air !.Have you got a picture of one Colin.i'll show it to my 20 year old daughter next time she winds me up!.

We had loads of these at Al Kharj, I was about 10 foot away from this thing and it was still big...: -

I was out do water checks and dips (Tanker Pool) one night, looked down and saw one walk up to the Bowser, thought to myself, "if they call for a refuel now they can whistle" (or words to that effect), it just turned and headed off into the Desert...

 

[Dave W]

Andy.I first saw one when i was doing a wheel change on a Tornado on my own at night.I was sat on the ground with a mainwheel between my knees .I was about to lift it onto the axle when i suddenly had a feeling i was being watched. Looked round and two of those things were running along the HAS floor about two metres away from me.I quickly got up and went outside for a bit of fresh air!.

 

[Guest]

In Saudi, and at the size you say, there's a distinct possibility that they could have been a Sicarius specie, these are shaped like a cross between a wolf spider and a crab spider (the front legs (leg I) in your photo look to be about right for length)

Sicarius differ from other spiders in only having 6 eyes hence the name "six eyed sand spider" and "six eyed crab spider" they also have the name the "six eyed assasin spider" as Sicarius is 'old Latin' for assasin.

They are fast, show great bravado but rarely bite, which is a good thing as the hemotoxic / necrotoxic venom causes organ failure at the worse. To my knowledge there is no anti-venin.

A couple of my associates at the BTS (British Tarantula Society) where i moderate, managed to breed them in captivity.

Another posibility for the spider in the picture is the Violin spider (Sicariidae family again so only six eyes), these have a cytotoxic venom which is not considered lethal, it produces severe pain at the bite site which evolves into a painful ulcerated area. Violin spiders are closely related to the Recluse spider which had all the bad press in the US about peoples limbs rotting and falling off ... highly exagerated claims in reality although necrosis of the bite area was severe in some cases.

 

[Dave W]

The biggest one i saw was brown in colour and probably at least 8 inches from the ends of its back legs to the tips of its front legs.It was easy to see as it was sat on a pile of white cleaning rags at the time. Im no expert but the Saudi's working with me at the time told me it was a wolf spider.I remember it had a couple of large fangs or whatever you call them.

 

[stona]

I grew up in West Africa and was always told not to touch spiders (didn't stop me catching snakes,centipedes etc!). This didn't leave me with a fear of spiders in the accepted sense but I couldn't handle them. Eventually,finding one marooned in the bath tub I just thought I was being stupid,picked the bugger up and put him where he could make good his escape. It was a strangely liberating experience!

Well done Andrew,I bet that felt very good about two minutes after you put him/her down.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Guest]

Thats certainly a biggun, the ones we had to breed here were only 5 inch legspan, but there's so many different species out there and some not even recorded taxonomically.

All over the world local people call this shape and style of spider a "wolf spider" due to the way it hunts (i.e. no web) .. it's a bit like saying "there's a dog" and there's well over 500 recognised breeds world wide ... it's just a general term if you see what i mean.

We have commony called "wolf spiders" in this country, they're no bigger than 1ins leg span, in Europe they're up to 3ins ....Arachnologists will refer to a spider by it's scientific name because it's more accurate as so many different species of spider have the similar common name all over the world. I.e. wolf spider, crab spider, cellar spider, redback, widow etc etc.

I could waffle on for hours (and do often) about arachnids, it's not as straight forward as people think and to answer sometimes even a simple question can digress into several other topics.

 

[Guest]

Steve, growing up in Africa, you're one lucky sod ... all those reptiles ... i'd have a field day

Some of the best looking reptiles are in africa, they have a certain "something" over the US and OZ varieties.

As for the Centipedes ... you can keep them ... they're the only thing i WILL NOT have anything to do with ....and i've had some foul tempered venomous reptiles and some quite toxic invertebrates in my time too when i had my DWA licence...

Millipedes ... no problem

Centipedes .... you won't see me for dust

 

[Dave W]

8 Inches was a conservative estimate.Im conscious of not trying to make it sound like a fishermans 'the one that got away' story.It was sometime in the early 90's but i definately remember it was very big.Im not a lover of spiders but remember being impressed by the size of the thing.It didnt like my mate proding it with a broom handle.It ran towards him,which made him run like hell!.Caused much laughing from the Saudi's!.

 

[Guest]

Conserative is ok, there are some big spiders out there, i have two here in my (now limited for space) collection that are about that in legspan ... old photos, bit dodgy.

Lasiodora parahybana

View attachment 50254

Poecilotheria fasciata

View attachment 50255

View attachment 52965

View attachment 52966

View attachment 165991

View attachment 165992

 

[stona]

Well Colin there were some very big amphibians too. Toads,our young dogs would usually pick them up........once. They'd then spend the next hour frothing at the mouth with an obviously very unpleasant and poisonous taste in their mouths. They wouldn't do it again! Talk about aversion therapy.

They spawned in the rainy season,sometimes in nothing more than large puddles,and I remember seeing hundreds of legged tadpoles in a transitional state drying in the sun when the "pool" dried out before they were able to leave it. It must have made an impression on a young mind.

I actually used to like catching snakes. I knew which ones were venomous,as you'll know a very small minority. I was happy to handle the "back fanged" snakes as well as the entirely venomless ones. The fun was in finding them before they slipped away,they don't want anything to do with we humans. Sadly local people kill all snakes on sight and most believe that they are all venomous.

As a boy I thought everyone had lizards running around the outside walls and ghekos on their bedroom walls!

The only times I remember getting a really nasty bite,sting or spike was from a catfish spine. You have to handle some of them very carefully.

My brother and I actually collected butterflies from a very early age which were set by mum (of course). Most of that collection still survives in a purpose built cabinet. When my mother passed away a few years ago the collection was left to by nephew who always like to look at them,even when very young. The only problem was that my brother then had to transport the fragile collection down to Surrey!

Here's a couple of young lepidopterists,under paternal supervision in the hills along the Nigeria/Cameroon border. For some reason,probably because dad was there,my little brother has got his hands on the net!

Cheers

Steve

 

[Guest]

OK Colin after massive efforts mostly poor here is one of our dear little toads.

They are so small that it is difficult to get close up. I have enhanced as much as possible the picture with out getting artifacts creeping in.

View attachment 50332

To give scale the length of just the body is about 8mm or half the width of a 20p piece. The legs are remarkably long.

We had hundreds in the pool as tadpoles & a lot after they had migrated around the pool. This has diminished as they have dispersed or found themselves victims of hungry other types of creatures. We can see about 4 or 5 in a day.

Laurie

View attachment 53035

View attachment 166061

 

[Guest]

Thanks for that Laurie, looks small and toad-like to me.

If you weren't on such a small island i'd say grab a few and transport them 50 miles away to help out with the gene pool diversity ... still you could, if you wish/can, just take a few to the furthest parish away from yourselves and drop them off, saying this after several tens of thousands of years i would assume the gene pool has reached a natural equilibrium.

i'm quite big on helping gene pools diverse in reptile/amphibian/invertebrate species, after all we have pushed them into areas they wouldn't be so soon by our building and de-forestation etc.

To give an idea what "can" happen with extreme gene pool intensity, the Golden Lance Head (a pit-viper (Bothrops insularis))is found only on Ilha da Queimada Grande, they have ben interbred so much over time that the snakes are often displaying male and female sexual organs, this will eventually prove fatal to the survival of the species.

The strange thing is that this is a natural problem that has occured with no help or hinderence from humans.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for that Laurie, looks small and toad-like to me.If you weren't on such a small island i'd say grab a few and transport them 50 miles away to help out with the gene pool diversity ... still you could, if you wish/can, just take a few to the furthest parish away from yourselves and drop them off, saying this after several tens of thousands of years i would assume the gene pool has reached a natural equilibrium.

Actually Colin we have been doing this unwittingly without the specific knowledge & reasons you mention.

The Original toads came from the other side of the Island a couple of years ago. They have been living in our greenhouse at least during the winter. Pauline has spread them this year wide into two parishes by supplying our four grandsons with tadpoles.

On another interesting subject. The rabbit population has recovered. Some years back they died out with mixamotosis (spelling ?).

Another this morning while in the car a red squirrel crossed the road. This years breed by the size. Beautiful thing. The red is now turning a black dark red for the winter which we noticed happens. Some in the Island have been very protective & put up notices on the road side. Beware squirrels. We only have the red & hope we do not have some idiot importing a grey as the reds are doing well & become a usual sight.

Laurie

 

[Guest]

View attachment 50375

Clever wife (are there any other types) caught this little fellow which is a much better photo than previously.

Gives an impression that they are bigger than illustrated. But the bodies are less than half an inch long.

Actually the first toad I found dead I though he seemed a bit strange when I took the picture.

This one was full of life & was trying to climb out of the box. Now been returned to his or hers natural habitat.

What do you think Colin? Think they are toads.

Laurie

View attachment 53058

View attachment 166084

 

[Guest]

Still looks like a diddy toad to me, at that size frog and toad youngsters can look quite similar to the naked eye.

Nice to see that the toad colony on the island is spread around as well, top marks to you for that

My advice to you for maintaining the red squirrel population is to buy a decent air-rifle and shoot the greys, The grey is considered vermin in most parts.

This might sound cruel but as soon as you get a small Grey population established you can bye bye to the reds as they will be eradicated one by one.

Shooting greys will give you variety in your diet as well if you don't mind living off the land ..... Crow & Squirrel pie ... lovely!

 

[Guest]

SShooting greys will give you variety in your diet as well if you don't mind living off the land ..... Crow & Squirrel pie ... lovely!

Think, Colin, I will stick to Chicken pie. Got a mass of pheasants but they are protected.

Laurie

 

[Guest]

Got a mass of pheasants but they are protected.

Is that protected as in you have a limited number or protected "game" and only shot under government licence.....

I suppose i could have looked this up but i like chatting

 

[Guest]

Protected by the States of Jersey decree.

Yes nothing like a good chat in.

Suspect that a good number make the pie despite the restriction. We have a lot of crafty old Jersey Farmers here I like them. The fisherman are of equal devishness. Both the heart of Jersey.

Another one the wild life is rampant here. Used to take my dogs (they have sadly gone) to L'Etacq in the early morning. Beautiful place no car sounds just on one side the land birds in song & a cackle from the landbirds. In season the Canada geese what a sight all on the waters edge.

Then a fisherman launching his boat from his tractor against a background of the sea crashing over the rocks 400 yards out. Some place. The scene changed daily as with average tide movements of 25 to 35 feet the beach was washed & shortened & lengthened dramatically during the day. Most days I would be the only one. I would stand for minutes just to take all this in.

Laurie

 

[Guest]

The toads as reported earlier are now getting bigger.

But Pauline & I had a big giggle. Next door who have paved all their rear garden & found what would probably be the mother toad. A big one.

We heard all this from our garden. They put the toad in a bucket of water & after much discussion transported it over the road into the field.

They do not like toads. Sad as they will discover.

What they do not realise is that our toadlets, there must be a couple of hundred still left from the thousands hatched (is that the correct expression), are now emigrating in a fan away from our property.

Wonder how many you can get in a bucket. I have "happily" imagined one morning the neighbours arriving down for breakfast looking out on a sea of toads rambling all over their patio.

Laurie

 

[Andy2035]

Bringing this one back and yet again another question for Colin, where do the spiders go & eat during winter, no flies etc...