Thursday, 12 June 2008

Money Spiders?


Last year we found a silver spider under the eaves and left it alone to eat whatever mosquitos or other annoying insects it could. In the back of my mind I also hoped that it might bring us a bit of good luck in the "Silver" department. Admittedly things have been going pretty well for us over the last year but whether that's due to luck or hard work....


Today we discovered a half a dozen of them around the outside of the house. They are only small, their body is about the size of a grain of rice, but they shine like a nugget of pure silver.


They say that spiders in the garden are a sign of a healthy environment and, unlike Australia, Japan doesn't have a problem with poisonous spiders. So we shall leave them to share our home and, who knows, they might be lucky afterall.
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44 comments:

  1. Anonymous13 June 2008 at 03:54

    your work is amazing uncle euan!

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  2. Euan Craig13 June 2008 at 20:15

    Thank you Anna!
    What a lovely surprise. I suppose my work has changed a bit since last you saw it, too long. Please email me and let me know what you are up to and lets keep in contact. My email is on the blog profile.
    Lots of love,
    Uncle Euan

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  3. Anonymous21 August 2008 at 00:33

    Euan,

    I have enjoyed your Blog. It has been a while since my last visit to Japan. I still work with George from time to time. George helped me by doing the welding for my kiln. Take a look a my Blog. Not to much content yet. Just the story of building my studio and kiln.
    http://claymanpv.blogspot.com/

    Paul Vernier - Santa Cruz California

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  4. Anonymous1 August 2009 at 19:43

    After many years I've finally got another glimpse of this wonderful spider thanks to you. There used to be a few of these spiders at my grandparents' home in a village in India and I used to love watching them!

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  5. Unknown5 August 2009 at 12:19

    have you been able to identify this spider...cause i've found the same type in New Jersey in America. Was examining it for hours at work. but it's the same type large bulbus romp and black designs.

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  6. Euan Craig5 August 2009 at 20:48

    Thanks for the comments everybody.
    This Spider is called "shirokane isorogumo" in Japanese. In english it is "Argyrodes bonadea", the common name of which is "Dew drop spider".
    They are obviously wider spread than I had thought, from India, through Japan to New Jersey! I've been to India and Japan, but only my pots have made it to New Jersey so far, I'll have to lift my game!
    Euan

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous20 January 2013 at 21:25

      I was enjoying my lunch at a restaurant in Constantia, Cape Town, South Africa and I too have discovered this silver "Dew drop" spider

      Delete
    2. Unknown4 June 2013 at 12:56

      Im in virginia. United states. I have one on my back pourch near the porch light. This is the first time ive ever seen this spider.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous9 August 2009 at 02:07

    Hi, We just found the exact same spider here in Santa cruz, Ca! It is beautiful. Thank you for helping us identify it.

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  8. Anonymous18 August 2009 at 08:15

    Thanks for the identification! I found one in North Carolina!!

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  9. Rick18 September 2009 at 02:51

    Ok.. Add Mobile, AL to the list.. Would love to know more about these beautiful insects.

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  10. Anonymous7 October 2009 at 05:20

    well, i just found one here today in toronto, ontario, canada

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  11. Anonymous15 October 2009 at 00:19

    i got a question... are they poisonous?

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  12. Anonymous1 November 2009 at 13:29

    just saw one in the yard.
    Gilroy, California (about 20 miles south of San Jose)

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  13. Anonymous14 November 2009 at 12:56

    i've got 2 in the backyard, 1 about 3-4mm and 1 that is barely 2mm, they are sharing the web of a golden orb spider that is at least 8cm... brisbane, australia.

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  14. Anonymous4 February 2010 at 14:22

    I found a few of them on a beautiful web in my garage in the South Island, New Zealand.

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  15. Anonymous6 February 2010 at 08:49

    Have just found one in our shed - Hamilton, New Zealand. Aren't they pretty?

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  16. Anonymous26 February 2010 at 06:42

    I have just discovered a few of these on our fence - also in Hamilton New Zealand. Found you blog when using google to find out what it was. My son, whos is 4, and I think it is an amazing looking spider

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  17. Anonymous26 March 2010 at 15:42

    I have seen these spiders in my mum's backyard also occupying a Golden Orb spider web. Thanks for the identification. They are such a beautiful spider and that is coming from an arachnaphobe.... Lismore, Northern NSW, Australia

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  18. Anonymous29 April 2010 at 06:50

    Found one right next to a morale mushroom, in Creve Couer, Illinois.

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  19. Anonymous9 June 2010 at 09:46

    Found one that may be the type you have on here...but need to know: Do these have a bright orange spot on their rear underside? Or do I have and Orchard spider or rare brown widow? I don't really know...odd looking fellow though...no I am NOT keeping it long! Mrs. DF

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  20. Euan Craig9 June 2010 at 12:41

    Dear Mrs DF,
    I am not a spider expert, so if you suspect that it is poisonous don't take any risks. I didn't notice any orange spot on the abdomen of our spiders, so I suspect you have a different type of spider. Good luck with your investigations!

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  21. Anonymous20 July 2010 at 07:29

    it is an amazing spider.. especially when you shine a torch on them at night.. they almost sparkle.. we have them here in queensland australia.. great little spider... another amazing part of nature.. a chrome spider

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  22. Anonymous21 May 2011 at 06:02

    I took a picture of one in Norwalk, CT! It is a very beautiful and interesting spider.

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  23. Anonymous28 May 2011 at 02:38

    is this spider poisons

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  24. Euan Craig28 May 2011 at 05:14

    To the best of my knowledge this spider is not poisonous.

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  25. Anonymous12 December 2011 at 18:24

    Just found one on our front veranda, I'd never seen a spider like this before, they are beautiful.
    Victoria, Australia.

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  26. Anonymous22 December 2011 at 23:48

    Thanks again for the information...found one in perth Western Australia..got a fairly good photo and truly and wonderous piece of creation

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  27. pjames14 May 2012 at 00:55

    I received some flowers from Lowe's Home Improvement here in NC, and I had a little stow away "Argyrodes Bonadea". Beautiful spider.

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  28. Anonymous20 May 2012 at 03:29

    Found one crawling on my arm a couple minutes ago out on my patio. Startled me, because it was so tiny I didn't even notice it moving till I saw the silver out of the corner of my eye. It didn't bite me though. So from my experience I'd say they're more exploratory than predatory for humans.

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  29. Anonymous9 June 2012 at 11:19

    I just found one on my shoulder after picking lemons from my tree! Big island Hawaii, Kona side. I thought i was seeing things at first! Seems to be a little traveler to reach here! i'll find a nice home for him/her now that i know what it is! I love our eight legged friends, always something new to see. Thank you, Aloha.

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  30. Anonymous20 July 2012 at 00:47

    It seems to have made its way here to Northern Ireland :)

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  31. Anonymous27 July 2012 at 07:20

    Just came across one on my arm, I got a shock NE ENGLAND UK

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  32. Anonymous11 August 2012 at 17:16

    I found one in Edinburgh, Scotland - silver with a red dot on it's back.

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  33. Anonymous23 September 2012 at 00:01

    What happens if the spider bits you

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    Replies
    1. Euan Craig23 September 2012 at 08:21

      These spiders aren't poisonous, apparently, so I wouldn't worry about being bitten.

      Delete
  34. Anonymous2 October 2012 at 12:42

    I just found one in my garden yesterday in Maryland.

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  35. Anonymous24 October 2012 at 17:20

    We have them in South Western Victoria Australia.
    Few and far between, but they seem to appear in mid spring (Oct/Nov). Have been seeing them since 2001!

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  36. Anonymous14 March 2013 at 02:56

    Found a nest of them... feel so bad now... I am terrified of spiders and killed it :( Only to find out they are not poisonous. Sorry spideys... :(
    All the way from Johannesburg - South Africa

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  37. Unknown4 June 2013 at 13:01

    Im in virginia in the U.S. I found one of these on my back porch. Its the first time ive ever seen a spider like this.

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  38. Tripple L19 July 2013 at 01:03

    I found the same spider in Florida, on my plants outside 2 of them

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  39. Anonymous24 August 2013 at 00:53

    I was on my back porch a couple days ago and there was a web by my garden hose and when i moved the nozzle to the hose there was a spider just like the one in the picture on it. it was pretty cool and i left it alone.

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  40. Unknown30 May 2019 at 03:58

    I just encountered one of these in my house coming down my Curtin. I have never once seen one like this especially in western NC. What exactly r they

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  41. Anonymous1 February 2020 at 16:58

    Never seen one before. Saw one for the first tme on bathroom window ledge last night. They seem to be infesting new areas/countries. Auckland New Zealand.

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