Snow Spiders?

[Stash]

Came across an unusual insect in the snow on Mt Pleasant in Maine. Not sure if it't a spider or something else???

Link to picture: Snow Spider?


And yes. It's one bug..

 

[Raven]

http://insects.about.com/od/flyinginsects/p/Rock-Crawlers-Order-Grylloblattodea.htm

That might be a ice crawler

 

[nartreb]

I think it's actually one and a half insects, or rather one and two-thirds.

 

[Stash]

I think it's actually one and a half insects, or rather one and two-thirds.

I thought that too but all the legs move.

 

[spider solo]

the ice crawler seems to match up with your photo...nice I have never seen one or even known they exist.

 

[nartreb]

I thought that too but all the legs move.

A brain is not necessary for that. It's hard to be sure from your photo, actually - the missing pair of legs might be due to the angle. But my hunch is that the rear one got stepped on.


Found the genus: Chionea. It is their mating season...

http://naturallycuriouswithmaryholland.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/snow-flies/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61365857@N06/5689275879/in/faves-treegrow/

 

[Jason Berard]

I saw one just last week walking around on Snow Mountain in Enfield, NH. The picture I took matches exactly with the one in Mary Holland's blog.

 

[NH Tramper]

Looks like two mating. Too many legs to be an insect or arachnid.

 

[sierra]

snow spiders are black and about 1/4 inch in size. I had a whole mess of them crawl into my shirt once while sitting in the snow. The bites ( about 10) hurt for about two weeks and it was not pleasant.

 

[Barkingcat]

A brain is not necessary for that. It's hard to be sure from your photo, actually - the missing pair of legs might be due to the angle. But my hunch is that the rear one got stepped on.


Found the genus: Chionea. It is their mating season...

http://naturallycuriouswithmaryholland.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/snow-flies/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61365857@N06/5689275879/in/faves-treegrow/

Bingo -- spot on.

It does look, however, like a mutation -- a complete insect with part of a second insect fused to it. (Poor thing.)

 

[Stash]

I've got a few more pictures and will post later today.

 

[Stash]

More pictures. Looks like two in some.

 

[Gremlin]

I counted eight legs and two antennae. That would make it an arachnid?