Male mouse spiders are on the move in autumn and early winter in search of females.

This one - at Smythesdale last month - was persistently walking, making photography difficult.

The two huge red jaws can be seen at the front - almost as large as the rest of the head. The abdomen is an inky blue-black colour, quite different from the glossy legs.

The apparent extra pair of legs extending out the front are very long pedipalps, which contain the mating organs and also assist in "smelling out" the females in their burrows. In most other spiders, these are shorter.

This specimen was fairly large, perhaps 15mm from head to tail, and with a legspan of about 45mm lengthwise. Males do not mature until they are at least four years old.

Females - seldom seen unless dug up - are all black, much larger and stouter, and with comparatively short, thick legs. Their body length is around 25mm. It is probably the females that gave the name of mouse spider, being almost mouse-sized in some people's minds.

Females stay in their burrows, but the males move around in daylight, searching for a mate.

This wandering usually occurs after rain, as was the case at Smythesdale last month.

Burrows have "trap doors", and are oval rather than circular.

Mouse spiders have very toxic venom and can give a painful bite, but serious reactions to it are apparently rare.

Although often regarded as inland spiders - north of the Great Dividing Range - they have been seen in many parts of the Ballarat region over the years, not only north of the Divide.

Their status here is difficult to determine, but they are probably uncommon.

Why are so many of Lake Wendouree's swans and other waterbirds out of the water grazing on grass and other plants, instead of seeking waterplants in the water?

It seems likely that terrestrial plants such as grasses and clovers start their growth with the autumn rains, while aquatic plants may put on more growth when days lengthen and sunlight increases the temperature of the water slightly.

New growth is no doubt more attractive to waterbirds than old growth, so this seems a likely explanation of the annual hazardous movement of waterbirds to lawns and nature strips. Complete crossing of Gillies Street's four busy lanes is particularly hazardous.

New cygnets also feed more onshore than they do in the water.

I have at least four geckoes in my fernery. They appear in warmer weather. What can I do to keep them here and protect them and maybe see them in the cooler months? Is there any food I can give them?

M.W, Soldiers Hill.

You are fortunate to have geckoes on your property. Like most reptiles, they hide in winter in sheltered places such as wood stacks, between boards and under rocks. Geckoes eat invertebrates, such as moths, beetles, slaters, grasshoppers, crickets, grubs and so on.

They probably eat slugs and small snails too. They normally take moving prey, so they are not likely to accept crushed pet food. If yours are happy in the fernery, try not to change their conditions too much. Their main dangers are cats, dogs, ravens, magpies and mice.