Dolomedes spp.

Biological Overview

Habitat  

Near bodies of water, including ponds, creeks and lakes,   

Diet  

Small fish, tadpoles and frogs, aquatic insects, terrestrial insects.  

Role in Ecosystem  

Controls the amount of aquatic insects, small fish. Maintain tadpole population   

Behavior  

The fishing spider hunts without water, Instead they hunt using water surface to walk, in a way there walking across water so scare prey. 

Human Impact

Humans are polluting lakes and oceans which is where the fishing spider lives, killing them slowly. Humans have also brought in invasive fish which cause the fishing spiders to compete for food and be much skinnier. Runoff also causes the fishing spiders production *making babies* to decrease also with insecticides killing spiders AND get rid of their food sources. The humans also impact their living by fishing them up because they eat mosquito larvae so the humans take it for them. Fishing spiders dont like hot heat because it causes them to have mate reducements and find food. 

Creative Exploration

When the light rises I know it’s time to start my day. I crawl out from my cracked rock and afloat on top of the water with my long legs. While looking for prey like tiny fish and small bug I encounter a bullfrog which begins to prostitute me but I swiftly escaped. Finally, I catch my prey of a small fish and drift on top of the water to enjoy my meal. A while after my meal I go hunting on land in the forest in front of my creek. I find a cricket but right as I’m about to eat I get snached by a bird! The bird brought me to its nest, which had sticks and leaves. I ended up being dinner for the birds. 

Dominic Rybicki, Gavon Chmilewski 

Book 1