The long, tenacious roots of the 'ohi'a wend their way through the cracks and penetrate deep into the rock in search of trapped water and nutrients
Their quest leads them to a remarkable subterranean world
Once, a raging torrent of lava flowed right through here
When it stopped, this was all that remained - a lava tube, pitch black, constantly damp and very cold
Can anything survive in this harsh world? Amazingly, yes
Patches of bacteria line the walls, feeding on the minerals in the volcanic rock itself
But that's not all
This is the small-eyed big-eyed hunting spider - a curious name for any spider, let alone one whose eyes barely function
But in total darkness, eyes are little use
Although he can't see it, the spider has company