Look closely at this Kauai Cave Wolf Spider... What do you see on her back?You got it! This is a very rare picture of a mom with her newly hatched spiderlings!
Photo courtesy of Gordon Smith - US Fish and Wildlife ServiceKauai Cave Wolf Spiders
WHY THEY ARE AWESOME: These spiders live in lava tubes in Kauia, Hawaii. They are cave hunters and have adapted so well to the dark cave environment that they are the only wolf spider that have no eyes. Kauai Cave Wolf Spiders use their fangs to kill their prey, which are small shrimp-like crustaceans called Amphipods. Both the Kauai Cave Wolf Spiders and the Amphipods have babies very slowly, so any negative change within their habitat makes it hard for them to survive because they do not have large populations. In fact, these spiders have only been found in 4-6 caves.
WHY THEY ARE ENDANGERED: The Kauai Cave Wolf Spider is endangered because of habitat destruction. Their caves are being destroyed through construction and the use of pesticides, as these actions really hurt their habitats.
Spruce Fir Moss Spiders
WHY THEY ARE AWESOME: They are the smallest tarantula out there and measure 0.10 to 0.15 inches which is about the size of two typed Bs put together- BB. They can only live on moss mats under a spruce-fir forest, which makes me think that each Spruce Fir Spider has a little mossy bed- lol.
WHY THEY ARE ENDANGERED: Well, there is an insect called the Adelgid, which sadly destroys the Spruce Fir Moss Spiders' habitat. More so though, logging has really hurt this spider's chance at survival.
KK, I will post more soon.
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Shazam,
Pesto
