A quick look around the garden at nightfall revealed this small (young) harvestman having an evening meal - the victim is a hoverfly.
The harvestman is often seen as being a spider, but it is in fact an opilione (an order of arachnids commonly known as harvestmen. As of December 2011, over 6,500 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide). Harvestmen have small round bodies with eight very long, very thin legs. Like ticks and mites, harvestmen have evolved a tight connection between the two body sections that other Arachnids have. Their whole body is one round unit. On either side of their mouth they have short appendages called pedipalps that they use to hold food while they chew it. Sadly, I couldn't get in close enough nor at the right angle to get to the mouth!
C&C as always!
Exif:
Camera Maker: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: EF100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Image Date: 2013-07-01 20:30:55 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 100.0mm
Aperture: f/9.0
Exposure Time: 0.0063 s (1/160)
ISO equiv: 100
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: Yes (Auto, return light detected)
Orientation: Normal
GPS Coordinate: undefined, undefined
Copyright: Copyright: Paul Iddon - A View of the UK
Paul.
