Habitat: Snow-packed trail along the Raquette River. Mixed wood forest, but the spider's actual den was undetectable.

Fishing spiders, of the Dolomedes genus, are a group of arachnids very common to the Eastern United States. These spiders have little difficulty in aquatic and snowy conditions, such as the one photographed here near the Raquette River. In fact, these spiders received their name because they have the reputation of sometimes catching and eating small fish in the water! What helps distinguish Fishing spiders from some of their other large cousins like the Wolf spider, because all eight eyes are relatively the same size.

This spider was boldly crossing the Stone Valley trail in the middle of the day, with no protection or place to hide nearby. I think that examining a spider up close reveals a remarkable complexity to their physique that would never be noticed otherwise, such as their patterns and thorn-like protrusions on their legs.