What is this bug?

False katipo spider

Late last afternoon I was gardening when I saw a False katipo spider. Now, my knowledge of spiders is such that I couldn't readily identify the spider on sight. I knew that it looked like a Katipo spider but without the distinctive red mark on the abdomen. Besides, Katipo are rare and live by the sea. I was fascinated by its shiny jet black belly.

To find the name of the spider I went to 'What is this bug?' one of my favourite reference sites run by Landcare Research. The site is a model of simplicity and I love the drawings that communicative so much. The genius, though, lies in the brilliant architecture. You start with just four categories of bugs: all bugs must be in one of these categories. In no time at all you've found your bug. Go and have a look!

Image source: Landcare Research