It isn't until you watch a harvestman walking aross a rough surface - like this pebbledashed wall of a house - that you realise how practical those lanky legs are. Anything with short legs with a body close to the ground would have to negotiate every pebble, but a harvestman can stride aross this rocky terrain with no impediment.
It's interesting to contemplate what the view must be like from those two eyes, mounted on the turret on the animal's back, that give all-round vision. It must be much like the view of a tower crane driver I guess, exception that eight knees substitute for the single crane jib.
I think this might be Leiobunum rotundum........(?)
You can find more on harvestmen here
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Superb as always...........my two-pennyworth. The pebble dash is calcined flint. Sure you wanted to know that!
ReplyDeleteDoes it mean that long-legged humans evolved in rocky territories? Fascinating article!
ReplyDeleteDon't know if we have harvestmen over here, but sure a close cousin if not, and many of them always wandering across my doorstep, keeping me on my toes so as not to squish them.
ReplyDeleteDo come over to RavenWood soon to the latest post, I have a bunch of mushroom shots and one photo of a bright green mushroom a friend took that none of us has ever seen here before. i wonder if you'v seen such a thing....