Post your Spiders

[ktuli]

Bill, what at great find, composition is great, the eyes and head are nicely in focus, the detail on the bug being devoured is amazing

Wendy,

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.

- Bill

[Dons]

Is it this one, Bill?

Leg autotomy in a spider has minimal costs in competitive ability and development

SCOTT A. JOHNSON* & ELIZABETH M. JAKOB

people.umass.edu/ejakob/publications/JohnsonJakob1999.pdf

I think it must be very much like it even if not the same one. It's utterly fascinating, and I've only read the first page so far.

Thanks so much for letting me know that research had been done on it

Seri

Seri & Bill, you guys are great... Thx for the info now I can answer my daughter's question...

[ktuli]

Another jumping spider I found today... he was a tough one to shoot as he wouldn't sit still, and his coloration being black and white made it hard to focus on him easily....

But you can't tell me it doesn't look like he should be called "The Skull Faced Jumping Spider"



- Bill

[Seriche]

Another jumping spider I found today... he was a tough one to shoot as he wouldn't sit still, and his coloration being black and white made it hard to focus on him easily....

But you can't tell me it doesn't look like he should be called "The Skull Faced Jumping Spider"



- Bill

I think you've caught a lovely range of subtle greys and browns, and it's very thoughtful of that spider to warn his prey of what's to come , His hairy legs are magnificent; I've never seen even one of our kind with fine long hairs like that. I wonder why some jumping spiders have hairy legs and others don't ?

I'd love to see some more of this one

Seri

[ktuli]

Seri,

Thanks! I have a couple others... but like I said, he was very tough to shoot. He almost never stopped and when he did, it was to give a threat display to my flash difuser! I'll see about getting some more up over the weekend.

I just can't get over that skull!

- Bill

[Wendy Stanford]

Huntsman Spider by indigo37, on Flickr

Huntsman are large spiders, live under bark and logs and can run fast

[ktuli]

As promised, here a re a couple more shots of that jumping spider...

Threat display at the lens:


Threat display at the flash:


3/4 with 2x teleconverter:


Also, as a bonus, a couple of a crab spider I found as well... I found this guy on an evening primrose bush. He was very attentive to my movements and would flip around on the leaves to hide. At one point, after I had backed off a bit, he sent out a length of silk and used it to drift up to a wilted blossom from the previous night (primroses only last one night... and actually are fun to watch bloom). I pinched off that blossom and managed to get the second shot while holding the camera in one hand and the wilted blossom in the other. A second later, he sent out another strand of silk and drifted off into the sky. I tried to catch him, but it was too late, and he moved on to new hunting grounds.





Enjoy!

- Bill

[Wendy Stanford]

Hi Bill, great series, I really like #2, the threatning pose is captured wonderfully, with great lighting on the face and eyes

[Geoff F]

More sexy shenanigans from a pair of Meta segmenta spiders.



Although at this time of the year it could still be Meta mengei. They are difficult to tell apart.

Either way, they have a somewhat specialised mating tactic. The male waits until the female is busy eating then sneaks up on her. You can just see the bug that was her meal.

There are a couple of slightly over exposed patches here. My second shot was better but didn't show the web so well as this one.

[Fleshpiston]

Hi Bill, great series, I really like #2, the threatning pose is captured wonderfully, with great lighting on the face and eyes

I agree. It is a great shot..... almost looks like a dog waiting / begging for a treat. Good capture!

[Fleshpiston]

Huntsman Spider by indigo37, on Flickr

Huntsman are large spiders, live under bark and logs and can run fast

Fantastic shot. They really are a good spider to photograph (when you can get them to stay still).

[ktuli]

Here's the smallest jumping spider I have ever seen in my life! I have no idea if he is a juvenile or what, but he is *tiny*....

Original at 1:1 magnification:


Cropped for more detail:


So based on the 1:1 and my sensor being 14.9mm high, it looks like that guy was about 3mm including leg reach! Probably 2mm body size. And he was making jumps of over 2.5 inches! I stood there and watched him for a good 15 minutes just jumping around the leaves of that bush. I only managed two shots and the one wasn't sharp enough to keep - the rest of the time, he was moving too quickly or in impossible angles. I love those translucent legs!

- Bill

[ktuli]

Is this one too bright?



- Bill

[Letrow]

Here's the smallest jumping spider I have ever seen in my life! I have no idea if he is a juvenile or what, but he is *tiny*....

Original at 1:1 magnification:


Cropped for more detail:


So based on the 1:1 and my sensor being 14.9mm high, it looks like that guy was about 3mm including leg reach! Probably 2mm body size. And he was making jumps of over 2.5 inches! I stood there and watched him for a good 15 minutes just jumping around the leaves of that bush. I only managed two shots and the one wasn't sharp enough to keep - the rest of the time, he was moving too quickly or in impossible angles. I love those translucent legs!

- Bill

I love the detail in the eyes

Is this one too bright?



- Bill

I don't think it is too bright, but given your question, did you process in some special way?

[ktuli]

I don't think it is too bright, but given your question, did you process in some special way?

Peter,

I shot about 15 exposures of this spider using different settings and different flash positions. I guess my question really makes more sense compared with another exposure...

1. Lighter (same as above):


2. Darker:


Which one do you think is better?

- Bill

[Geoff F]

Bill, how about using the darker image then individually brightening the web threads.

OK then, try the lighter image but slightly darken the spider body where required.

[ktuli]

Bill, how about using the darker image then individually brightening the web threads.

OK then, try the lighter image but slightly darken the spider body where required.

Hahah! So basically neither, Geoff? I'll see what I can do with some PP on them.

Thanks for the suggestions.

- Bill

[ucci]

We were walking in from the car with our groceries when we spied this little chap coming up the path towards us at a great rate of knots, obviously in a hurry to get somewhere; a spider on a mission, as it were. He was going like the clappers!
We followed him for about 60 or 70 feet until he disappeared under a rock beside the drive. He sure could move! I was amazed at just how far he travelled without hesitating. He sure was determined to get to wherever he was going!
For those who like the techo stuff, it is male Mouse Spider( Missulena occatoria). They are related to the trap door and funnel web spiders. They are listed as dangerous as their venom is considered to be potentially life threatening. However they will only bite if provoked and there have been no recorded deaths from their envenomation. Just lots of pain, sickness and discomfort inflicted by the biter on the unfortunate bitee.
These shots could have been heaps better had the little devil paused in his perambulations. However, as I intimated, he had a high head of steam up and was determinedly making for some unknown destination as fast as his little legs would move him. So they were all taken on the run, as it were. I did try to interrupt his progress at one stage with a piece of twig. As you can see from picture 2 his reaction to my interfering with his progress. I took the message on board and let him get on with things.
Thanks for stopping by to view. C-comments always welcomed.
Old ucci

[RockNGoalStar]

I would literally soil myself if I saw one of those in RL Ken!

Here's one I nearly ran into in Borneo...



Bleurgh... I bloody hate spiders

[ktuli]

Ken - that is one wicked looking spider. I love it!

Tommy - that is a fantastic shot. How big was the spider? And how on earth did you get it so sharp? I would think any bit of a breeze would be moving that guy around like crazy. This is truly a beautiful spider shot. And don't be a hater!

- Bill