Spider Photos
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This is a Banana Spider but I call him "Poodle Spider" because of the poodle like tufts of hair on his legs!
Labyrinth Spider | Agelena Labyrinthica | June 2021 | Monteggio, Switzerland
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My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (warning, it's a bit shocking): www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2-Xszz7FI
ABOUT THE PHOTO:
This beautiful labyrinth spider did me the courtesy of positioning itself in a ray of sunlight coming through the leaves of the plants in my garden where it had built its sophisticated (and judging from the remains of prey that were visible as lovely "home decorations" everywhere: highly effective) web.
I know, most people don't like spiders, and I must admit for the better part of my life I wasn't exactly too comfortable around them either. But what I love most about macro photography is that it's rapidly changing my perception of the tiniest creatures in my garden: viewed up close, they suddenly have a face - literally - which made me aware of them as expressive beings with a "personality" in a way I wasn't before.
Before, even though I've always been a "nature nerd", with regards to the tiniest insects and spiders in my garden I was a typical Homo Sapiens sapiens I guess. While it's easy for our species to sympathize with bigger animals whose biology more resembles our own and whose expressive faces remind us of our own emotions, we at best behave like ignorant, indifferent giants towards the smallest creatures that share our world, and at worst we see nothing in them but pests or scary, alien-looking monsters we try to extinguish wherever we find them.
Let's face it: we are a highly irrational species. We pay money to go on safaris and are - rightly - fascinated by large predators such as a pack of lions lurking in the high grass; we call those the "kings of the animals" and hold our breath in sheer excitement when we see the pack suddenly attack and gorily devour an antelope (which is nasty business: it's not uncommon that the prey already gets its belly torn open while it's still alive); yet the micro equivalents of those lions hunting prey in our gardens we view with disdain or are repulsed by.
So, to anyone viewing this photo whose first immediate reaction is disgust, I say: try to replace your fear or repulsion with a little fascination for the "micro lions" in your own backyard. Then get a macro lens and go on a garden safari; chances are you'll find a world of hidden beauty that is every bit as fascinating and rewarding for a photographer as any tropical jungle or African savannah ;-)
ABOUT THE SPECIES (from Wikipedia, slightly abbreviated by me):
Range And Habitat
Agelena labyrinthica build flat plate surface webs connected to funnel-shaped retreats similar to labyrinths, which are typically constructed between low lying grass and vegetation. These spiders are fairly common in Europe and Central Europe, and are typically concentrated in areas near forests and low lying vegetation, as well as in dry grassland.
Description
Agelena labyrinthica has a body length of up to 18 mm (0.71 in). It has approximately 25 trichobothria per walking leg. These hairs help the spider detect prey that has been caught in its web, or even prey that is near enough to cause vibrations in its web. The trichobothria hairs essentially act as a long-distance sensory system for A. labyrinthica that helps them detect prey with great accuracy and speed.
Spatial Perception
Having to travel between its sheet web and its funnel shaped retreat, A. labyrinthica have shown signs of detour compensation that allow the spider to orient itself and navigate even in complete darkness. Using its eyes to quickly navigate its web, A. labyrinthica is able to detect the plane of polarized light present, and position itself relative to it in order to maintain its orientation. A. labyrinthica also relies on its idiothetic orientation, as well as directional cues such as gravity, to gain its bearings no matter where it is.
Thanks to Bernie for allowing me to take photos in her lovely garden once again.
Captured at twilight yesterday.
I bought the plant last year at a market, put it in the shade house and this year 4 flowers : ))
Have a wonderful Day
Nature's insect control. Some may find them creepy, but I think they are pretty neat. This is a Golden silk orb-weaver. You can see the "gold" in her web.
The Thomisidae, or Crab spiders, are the masters of ambush and disguise. Some species can change their color to blend in with the flowers they are sitting on. This large family includes 38 genera in South Africa alone and occurs on all continents except Antarctica. The body on this one is about 4mm across and the legs 10mm long.
Quite the stabilimentum here...
"A stabilimentum (plural: stabilimenta), also known as a web decoration, is a conspicuous silk structure included in the webs of some species of orb-web spider. Its function is a subject of debate...There is much controversy surrounding the function of these structures, and it is likely that different species use them for different purposes....It has been suggested that stabilimenta could provide protection to the spider by either camouflaging it (by breaking up its outline), or making it appear larger (by extending its outline)...make the web visible and therefore animals such as birds are less likely to damage the spider's web...The other dominating hypothesis is that web decorations attract prey by reflecting ultraviolet light...."
Spider plant, Chlorophytum comosum.
Southwest Arizona, USA.
Full frame. Dedicated macro lens. No crop. No post processing.
Hiding in plain sight!
I went looking for spiders and didn't see any til I looked at this on the computer!😂
Flower Spider
Not only were the Jumping Spiders out and about the other day, there were a few Flower Spiders also.
Maybe a horned spider. I'm trying to stop guessing IDs. I had to do a manual focus. My camera's diopter was still set pre-cataract surgery. This gave me a chance to readjust it. :-) This thing was really tiny.
Female zebra spiders are 5-9 mm long and males are 5-6 mm
(Salticus scenicus) is a common jumping spider. Like other jumping spiders, it does not build a web. It uses its four pairs of large eyes to locate prey and it’s jumping ability to pounce and capture it. Zebra spiders are often noted for their awareness of humans. Upon noticing someone observing them, they can be seen raising their head, and usually change behavior (hence the name Salticus scenicus, theatrical jumper).
Thanks for looking.