Spider vs Spider at Casa da Ayre

Notorious spider-hunter, a White-tailed spider (left) is attempting to catch a young Black house spider. 

 I observed this life-and-death drama playing out in slow motion on the outside of our house on Wednesday night.  White-tailed spiders do not build a web and trap unwary insects; instead they are hunters.  They slowly, ever so slowly walk around searching for other spiders to eat.  Yes, this is a spider that eats spiders.  

White-tailed spiders have a reputation for causing grievous bites.  There is debate over whether they are responsible for the hideous bites or not.  My opinion is that I'd really prefer never to be bitten by any spider, thanks very much.  I remember waking in the small hours of the morning, one sweaty summer's evening about twenty years ago.  The largest White-tailed spider I have ever seen in my life was crawling across my chest.  I was horrified, and knocked it off myself.  I caught the spider, just in case I ended up having been bitten, and it resulted in a bad outcome, I wanted to be able to provide proof that this was the spider that had bitten me.  Very fortunately for me, I had no reaction at all, and it appeared that I had not been bitten - thank goodness.  Most bites from White-tailed spiders result from the spider being inside an article of clothing, on a towel or similar.  I was very, very lucky that I did not inadvertently trap or hurt the spider while I was asleep and get bitten as a result.        
 
Unfortunately, there is not much to give a sense of scale in these photos, but both arachnids were both juveniles, with body size almost the same as a grain of rice, but a lot squishier.        

I watched the drama play out for hours, before going to bed around mid-night.  Why can't interesting wildlife interactions happen on Friday nights?  In the morning, the Black house spider was still in it's web and there was no sign of the White-tailed spider.  The Black house spider either killed the White tailed spider or more likely, the White-tailed spider simply gave up.

  

Home Invasion -  Black house spider's nightmare - a White tailed spider has entered its refuge.