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Fan-bellied leatherjacket is a bizarre looking animal
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Giant manta rays give scuba divers beautiful close up experience
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Majestic horses run free in the meadow on a sunny day
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Breathtaking beauty of British Columbia captured from above
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Curious manta rays circle around delighted scuba divers
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Gigantic fishing spider is one of nature's best scuba divers
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Monstrous whale shark dwarfs scuba divers in the Galapagos Islands
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This stunning lighthouse is the easternmost point of North America
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Ostrich gives epic performance but fails to get the girl
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Daisy the bunny munches noisily on a treat and it's too cute!
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Lion brothers meet affectionately on the African Plain
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Flamingo feeds in an unusual manner to extract shrimp from mud
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Determined fish works hard to catch crab hiding in rocks
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Mighty leopard stops to have a big drink at watering hole
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Young hawksbill sea turtle follows scuba diver over the coral reef
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African farmer and her son upload videos to pay for his education
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Sanctuary bull with intimidating horns asks guest for a head scratch
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This steel safe killed one of America's most famous men
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The beauty of Canada from one coast to the other
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Heart warming close look at a calf's entry into the world
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Anemone fish can live where few other fish can
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Surprising footage captured by child on African bus ride
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Endangered hawksbill turtle casually eats as scuba divers look on
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Olive baboons show their ferocious teeth as they playfight
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Venomous emperor sea urchin is one of the most ornate sea creatures
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Smooth green snake is one of the most beautiful in North America
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Tiny finches feast on leftover airport pizza in the Galapagos Islands
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One of the the ocean's most bizarre animals; the beaded sea cucumber
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Sanctuary goats go crazy for green bananas from guests
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Pelican shows off his impressive fishing skills and huge beak
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Gigantic humpback whale rises beside mesmerized swimmer in Tonga
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Badlands salt flats look like an alien landscape when seen from the air
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Pacific green turtle calmly eats as scuba diver watches enthralled
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Orioles are one of the most vividly colored birds in North America
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Flash flood washes out road in Kenya, Africa
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Chickens happily enjoy a feast on farm in Kenya, Africa
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Dramatic sunset footage of ominous lightning storm approaching harbor
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Old world pomegranate juice vendor has been serving fresh juice here for 50 years
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Close up look at the most high powered eyes on the planet
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Mighty leopard caches deer in a tree to keep it safe for later
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The beautiful and fascinating strawberry nudibranch
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Child giggles with delight as she sails over a waterfall in Ecuador
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Gigantic fishing spider is one of nature's best scuba divers

1 year ago
9.62K

Dolomedes spiders, also known as fishing spiders, dock spiders, and "cottage monsters" are unique predators with amazing hunting abilities. They wait by the edge of a lake, pond, or river to ambush small fish that come to the surface. The spiders can detect ripples and then quickly run across the surface of the water. They use their forelimbs that are equipped with claws to hook their prey and inject their prey with venom with their hollow jaws.
Fishing spiders are also capable of climbing beneath the surface of the water. The hairs on their bodies trap air bubbles that encase the spiders as they hunt underwater. Because they breath through openings in their abdomens, they can use the trapped air to breathe and stay submerged longer.
The fishing spider hunts for mayflies and other insects on the surface of the water, using the water as a web. They can detect ripples and vibrations which indicate where their prey are located. The spider can estimate distance and direction, as well as discern the vibrations given off by predators such as trout. Powerful predators, they are capable of eating fish as large as a small goldfish. They will prey on tadpoles as well.
These spiders are similar in appearance to wolf spiders and are often confused with them. They differ in their markings, their eyes, and the fact that wolf spiders carry their young on their backs. Although frighteningly large, they rarely bite people and they help keep the insect population in check. Seeing them around the cottage is actually a good thing for people who don't want to be bitten by horseflies or mosquitos.

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