These glittery creepy-crawlies have been taking the internet by storm, as their dazzling bodies make them appear to be covered in mirrors!
Spiders can be a bit like marmite.
I, for one, am pretty terrified of spiders, so this is going to be a real rollercoaster of emotion for me!
However, even I have to admit that the mirrored spiders that have been sweeping the internet are incredibly beautiful… and even, dare I say it, a little cute?
No, these aren’t pieces of jewellery, they’re real spiders!
These delightful little creatures are known as the Mirror Spider, and I’ll give you a prize if you can guess why?!
Yes, you little geniuses, it’s because of the wonderful silver plates that can be seen on the spider’s abdomen.
The beautiful silver plates have a few useful purposes!
One photographer, Nicky Bay, developed quite a fascination with the wonderful creatures, and why wouldn’t you, and took lots of photographs of them for their website.
The photographer also began seeing that the silver plates would expand and shrink at different times.
Bay began making observations as to potential reasons why the plates changed shape.
In a post on their website about the Mirror Spider, Bay wrote:
“For several years, I have been observing the odd behavior of the Mirror Spider (Thwaitesia sp.) where the ‘silver-plates’ on the abdomen seem to shrink when the spider is agitated (or perhaps threatened), revealing the actual abdomen. At rest, the silver plates expand and the spaces between the plates close up to become an almost uniform reflective surface.”
However, Bay also explained that their observations were not scientifically backed.
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However, some sources indicate that the scales may be used for camouflage.
Other mirror spiders of a similar family may use the scales for camouflage.
“The scales shine and reflect the light, just like a drop of rain and it works on the spider’s favor as it can camouflage through this,” suggests Spider Identifications .
These sparkling spiders can be found in a variety of locations across the world.
Most of the spiders in the images used in this article were found primarily in Singapore and Australia.
Not much is known about these mirror spiders, but one thing is for sure, they’re the fanciest looking spiders that I have ever seen!
Hopefully, these delightful creatures will wow even the most trepidatious arachnophobe!
As someone who is terrified of spiders, I cannot believe how much I love these stunning arachnids! So, hopefully, you may be able to bring around some of your arachnophobic friends as well… or at least send them running behind the couch!
h/t: Nicky Bay , Andrew Ker . Robert Whyte , & Bored Panda
