Spider nests

Apologies to those of you that suffer from arachnophobia. Those of you walking through the gully will have noticed a high number of the nurseryweb (Dolomedes minor) spider nests this summer. The female will guard its nest at night but can sometimes be seen on a cloudy day. During the day they tend to retreat to the base of the foliage their nest is attached to. They are an endemic species which means they only exist in New Zealand. An interesting fact: they can walk on water! When not on nesting duties, as a nocturnal species, Dolomedes minor hunts and scavenges for food at night. Their prey consists of a variety of small organisms including other spiders, dobsonfly larvae, earthworms, native bees and other small insects.