Ceiling Runner

After a slow trip home from a day of volleyball, twenty five miles and three inches of new snow, we arrived home after dark. Turning the lights on I catch sight of a small black spider with a white stripe on the living room ceiling. Then I do what all good housekeepers do, I captured it alive, took a few photos, and released it back to the wilds of our living room.

A Parson Spider, a common and recognizable inhabitant in our home, though I have on several occasions encountered it outdoors also. Both its common name and scientific name derive from the shape of the light-colored stripe on its abdomen resembles the fancy necktie, a cravat, worn by eighteenth century clergy.

In its natural habitat this species hides beneath stones and logs. When encountered indoors this ground spider transforms into a notably ceiling runner, a contrarian of sorts. But then, who’s to say they don’t race along upside down on those low ceilings, the underbellies of stones and logs.

Publicado el 13 de marzo de 2017 a las 03:57 AM por scottking