Opiliones are known better as harvestmen - those spider-like thingies which are not spiders at all. The body of a harvestman is so characteristic that they are easy to recognize. They go by many names: daddy long-legs, harvestmen, shepherd spiders, and harvest spiders. These eight-legged arachnids are commonly misidentified as spiders, they actually belong to their own, separate group – the order Opiliones.
They are awkward to photograph mainly due to their legs being incredibly long - as much as 2 inches each one, which means to fit one into the viewfinder in its entirety leads to poorer composition - hence I tend to get in closer and concentrate on the best bit - the body and those 2 little eyes and it's mouth parts!
Anyway, here is one such harvestman, posing quite nicely for me on a chrysanthemum flower. Enjoy.
Creator: Photographer: Paul Iddon
Copyright:
Paul Iddon - A View of the UK
Paul.