cecileroux's Favorites

I have monitored several dozen individuals of this species (and their breeding activities) since 2009. This particular individual was first spotted on 11 April 2019 with a new egg case; by 11 May 2019 a second egg case had been added. During a visit on 15 June 2019, the spiderlings from the first egg case had hatched, had moulted in the web next to the egg case and had dispersed. No subsequent visits were made to check on the fate of the second egg case.
Photos: spider looking gravid on 2 May 2019, egg cases on 11 May 2019 and first encounter (shortly after depositing first egg case?) on 11 April 2019.

under basalt rock on basalt hillside. In shade of large senegalia tree see
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186525467
I looked at soil under and within 30 cm of the rock.
No ants nest. Just a few solitary ants running around
see
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186569138

one ant mimic heteroptera
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186533642

one small adult beetle see
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186569711

One large mite
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186534715

About 7 adult small curculionidae beetles found
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/186534391

I can't make out whether this is murder most foul or a loving embrace. One Myrmarachne was moving up the wall, the other coming down. I dashed inside to get my camera and found them like this. When I went back later there was only one of them and I couldn't see any sign of the other one.