Pictorial Monday {Joy}

I did not follow the life of Joy like I did with Charlotte, her possible ancestor. However, I did capture a few moments of her life which seemed mighty short compared to Charlotte’s life.

May 25, 2015

She began to move from her original spot. It had rained and rained and I guess she was tired of getting “drowned”. So, she moved over a period of two or three days to a newer and better spot about five feet away.

June 7, 2015

June 12, 2015

Sometime between May 27 and June 12, a male joined her on her web. She molted again on June 12 and the male took advantage of her.

Not long afterwards (approximately an hour later), I discovered that either she killed the male or he died naturally. And, she feasted on her exoskeleton.

July 14, 2015

July 14, 2015

July 14, 2015

Like Charlotte, she became enormous. Unlike Charlotte, she did not live a long life.

She moved a short distance away and proceeded to lay an egg sac near the end of July. She rested for a full day and disappeared. Joy only had one egg sac compared to Charlotte’s two and possible three sacs.

Fable Friday (Is She Joy?)

Imagine my surprise when I looked up one morning and spied this critter:

{Taken on April 30, 2015}

My immediate thought was Charlotte because she was in the exact same spot where Charlotte lived.

This one was so tiny that I had trouble focusing on the spider. It did not help that the day was dark and gloomy.

I have been keeping an eye on Charlotte's egg sacs; but, have yet to see any baby spiders come out of them. I was not 100% sure this is the same kind of garden spider as Charlotte or if it is a banded garden spider. The babies of both species look so similar and are difficult to tell apart; but, once they mature, you can distinguish between the two.

After studying the pictures I took, I believe this one is the Writing or Common Garden spider (Argiope aurantia) just like Charlotte as there are no bands around her abdomen.

We shall see if this baby decides to hang around. If so, she shall be called Joy. If anyone is familiar with the story of Charlotte's Web, Wilbur (the pig) named three new spiders and one was Joy.

By the way, I looked out this morning and discovered a second spider with the first (Joy). If the second one hangs around too, she shall be called Nellie (just like the story). I hope to take better pictures later today for a Macro Monday post.