Tag Archives: Spider

Daddy Long Legs on Spotted Beebalm

Daddy Long Legs spiders were climbing all over this small clump of spotted beebalm.

Daddy Long Legs Spider on Spotted Beebalm
Daddy Long Legs Spider on Spotted Beebalm

The dappled sun was warming after a cool start and prey possibilities including smaller insects may have become active, too.

Daddy Long Legs Spider on Spotted Beebalm
Daddy Long Legs Spider on Spotted Beebalm

I have no idea what this one is doing; I wondered if it was laying eggs but all information I’ve found says they lay their eggs in dirt.

Daddy Long Legs Spider on Spotted Beebalm
Daddy Long Legs Spider on Spotted Beebalm

Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 14, 2022

Monarda punctata
Spotted Beebalm, Spotted Horsemint, Horsemint

 

Golden Silk Orb-weaver

Named for the color of its silk, this Golden Silk Orb-weaver’s web was in just the right light to see why.

Golden Silk Orb-weaver
Golden Silk Orb-weaver

A close up of the web, so interesting that the strands towards the center of the web (left) are spaced in a even grid-type pattern, and towards the outer edge the circular bands are closer together.

Golden Silk Orb-weaver Web
Golden Silk Orb-weaver Web

September 16, 2022

 

 

 

Spider: Arrow-shaped Micrathena

A tiny creature, and new to me with those serious looking spikes, this Arrow-shaped Micrathena is only about 0.25 inches (6 mm) long.

Arrow-shaped Micrathena
Arrow-shaped Micrathena

A second one was in a more secretive spot in a plant.

Arrow-shaped Micrathena
Arrow-shaped Micrathena

The visible stabilimentum, the zigzagged strand of webbing, seen above the spider in the next image is how I happened to notice the spider as it waved in the afternoon breeze.

Arrow-shaped Micrathena
Arrow-shaped Micrathena

August 13, 2021

Daddy Long Legs on Melissa Balm

The spider from my post Daddy Long Legs and Friend traveled quite a distance in a small space over the few hours I checked on him.

Daddy Long Legs Spider
Daddy Long Legs Spider

He made repeated trips around this stem, occasionally showing me his entire leg structure.

Daddy Long Legs Spider
Daddy Long Legs Spider

I’m sure he had a purpose but it wasn’t obvious to me.

Daddy Long Legs Spider
Daddy Long Legs Spider

A second spider was attached to the porch screen a few feet away and didn’t appear to move even a smidge over several hours.

Daddy Long Legs Spider
Daddy Long Legs Spider

June 13, 2021

Daddy Long Legs and Friend

I was stalking a Daddy Long Legs on my patio when I spotted additional movement on his perch.

Daddy Long Legs Spider and Candy-striped Leafhopper
Daddy Long Legs Spider and Candy-striped Leafhopper

The spider had been all around the stem and leaves of this plant that I think is Melissa Balm; the debris to the the right of the Leaf-hopper is a dropped flower.

Daddy Long Legs Spider and Candy-striped Leafhopper
Daddy Long Legs Spider and Candy-striped Leafhopper

Whatever signal the Leafhopper was sending was lost on me and the spider. Maybe the signal was for the flower.

Daddy Long Legs Spider and Candy-striped Leafhopper
Daddy Long Legs Spider and Candy-striped Leafhopper

Golden Silk Orb-weavers Overhead

Actually these spiders seem to be everywhere right now. I’m fascinated by the size of their webs. They not only can span distances of many feet but they also have depth, with multiple layers.

Golden silk orb-weavers in Web
Golden silk orb-weavers in Web

I took these first two images from underneath the web. The larger spider is the female (about 2 inches / 5 cm across). I don’t know if the two smaller ones are both Orb Weaver males or intruders. The webs also catch small debris that happens to be floating by.

Golden silk orb-weavers in Web
Golden silk orb-weavers in Web

This last image was from further down the path. The overall structure of the web appears random, probably better to ensnare unsuspecting lunch.

Golden silk orb-weavers in Web
Golden silk orb-weavers in Web

Little Spider

The concentration of strands and zig-zap pattern made this little spider web stand out from the potted plants.

Little Spider with Intricate Web
Little Spider with Intricate Web

At a different angle I could see the spider through the web.

Little Spider with Intricate Web
Little Spider with Intricate Web

Look closely for a series of strands further out from the center, more easily seen between the plant leaves.

Little Spider with Intricate Web
Little Spider with Intricate Web

June 2018.

Spider in His Web

We are starting to see some spiders and big webs as we walk around the swamps. This web was several feet across with the fine gauge threads glistening in the sun.

Spider in a Web
Spider in a Web

I changed position but couldn’t  closer due an abundance of poison ivy, something else that is thriving this spring.

Spider in a Web
Spider in a Web

My next image was just a few seconds later but focused on a slightly different spot which resulted in a different glisten on the web and  background.

Spider in a Web
Spider in a Web

Orb-Weaver Spider Weaving Lunch

Quite a few of the Orb-Weaver Spiders have built their webs at an angle to the board walk headed to the swamp making side view photographs a possibility.  It was fascinating to watch this one pluck a fly or bee from the web and then what seemed to be wrapping it in silk.

Golden Silk Orb-weaver
Golden Silk Orb-weaver – click on the photo for a larger view. Zoom in to the center to see the silk attachment from the web

There were some other insects dangling from similar wrappings nearby. These spiders seem much larger than last summer’s crop, but that may be my imagination, or Ted’s, playing tricks on me.