Night Hike - Spiders

Just got back from a late night hike.  Very sticky and buggy tonight.  I was hoping to see some other species of snakes, other than fox, but I'm not complaining.  No snakes tonight, so I focused my camera on some smaller critters whose eyes show bright in the light....wolf spiders.  They are absolutely everywhere!  I was hoping to find some large Dolemedes tenebrosus fishing spiders, but no luck.  I did find a couple of other species with little surprises.

The wolf spider below is, I believe, a part of the genus Hogna.  I have a difficult time narrowing down wolf spiders.  However, the tank-like build of Hogna fits this example pretty well.  It looks big, but in reality, it is only about an inch long.  I guess that might be big to some folks.

The other species I found was the rabid wolf spider, genus rabidosa.  I already posted a photo of this spider the other night, but this one had some nice little surprises along with it.....

Rabid Wolf Spider with Babies

Babies a Little Closer

It's been really nice getting out this week.  I hope I can keep up with the frequency of hiking that I have.  One more day off!

Don't Be So Defensive!

1st Line of Defense:  Rapid tail rattling on the ground and coiled position.

2nd Line of Defense:  Quick strikes, and a bite

3rd Line of Defense:  Poop, and poop some more!

I feel it has been a good night when I have been bitten once and pooped on twice:)  I went on a third night hike tonight, but ended up rescuing snakes from the middle of the road along a stretch of canal.  The night air was a bit cool, so they were definitely trying to soak in some heat.  Two fox snakes the length of my arm and a small garter snake were removed from the road before getting run over.  The first one that bit me would have been dead had I not stopped to grab it.  A car was just turning the corner to watch me snatch it up.  He would have been mashed for sure.  I don't blame him for biting me.  I came out of nowhere and just grabbed him.  I would have bit me too:)

Gorgeous Fox Snakes

A Small Common Garter Snake (pooped on me too)

Other Night Time Highlights

Two Rabid Wolf Spiders (Rabidosa rabida)

Leaf Footed Bug (Family Coreidae) 

Oh, and yes, the new headlamp worked out great.  Black Diamond Icon, 200 lumens, etc.  Awesome!