This time of year is perfect for amateur entomologists in Ohio who wish to do a little backyard surveying. Praying Mantis and Walking Sticks can be found munching on hydrangea leaves whilst indigo-colored wasps and hummingbird moths flutter about the last of summer's blooming flowers. One particularly interesting August denizen is a species which I only discovered for myself a few short years ago: Myrmarachne formicaria. (A rather large specimen is trying to climb its way up my leg as I type this post.) M. formicaria is an ant-mimicking spider, and a damn good one at that. In fact, the first time I recognized this creature for what it was, I had simply brushed one off of my arm, assuming it was an ant. Imagine my surprise when the "ant" descended to safety on a smartly-placed silk wire! Upon closer inspection, I realized that the apparent ant was actually an arachnid assuming a very convincing disguise.
Roberta Gibson has a nice little entry on M. formicaria at her blog, Wild About Ants, which features exceptional photos like the one below.
Also of interest:
The First Records of Myrmarachne Formicaria (Araneae, Salticide) in the Americas
