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Velveteen
Posted by Graeme Lyons , Tuesday 5 July 2011 20:28
Graffham again today. I spotted this tiny Small Velvet Ant Smicromyrme rufipes (Nb) running across some bare ground. I thought it was a velvet ant at first sight but thought it looked a little small. I didn't realise there was another smaller species. It's actually a wingless female wasp that parisitises bees. Without any effort I also added the carabid Acupalpus parvulus. However, it was this male Evarcha falcata that stole the show. Jumping spiders are pretty amazing looking things and this is one of the most impressive species I have seen.
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Your brilliant obs make me wonder how many rarities I am happily by-passing on my little walks in the countryside. The jumping spiders have to be my favourite - I always have quite a few (or maybe its the same one getting about a bit!) in the greenhouse.