I was fortunate to catch this one at the tail end of molting on May 27. 2015. It is freaky to watch unless you know what is happening. The following pictures are not the greatest as the wind was constantly moving her and the web.
”Ah, freedom!”
One of the first things these Garden spiders do is hang in there and spin about. Their legs are straight out for a bit.
Then they draw in their legs and stay like this for a few. They always look dead and are very vulnerable to) wasps and the like. Yes, I have seen wasps snatch them when they are in this vulnerable state and it’s shocking to witness.
They slowly relax and grab a hold of their web and rest for a bit.
This spider discarded her exoskeleton rather than eating it. Yes, sometimes they feast on their old exoskeleton.
Hello Lee Ann, awesome sequence of images. The spider and it's web are awesome captures. I especially love the last shot. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy weekend!
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ReplyDeleteGreat set! I have never seen a spider molt. Good job.
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@eileeninmdThank you!
ReplyDelete@sandylandThanks!
ReplyDelete@ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®©Thank you!
ReplyDeleteBobs spider is still here. Seems bigger but we havent caught sign of a molt. Great shots!
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ReplyDelete@FlakyLMDThanks! You have to watch them. I monitor the spiders hereabouts daily -- usually twice a day on account of letting the cats outside. :-) they tend to (re)spin their webs and lay their egg sacs overnight.
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