Macros: Spiders

The below pictures were taken on a very windy day when it (the spider) was not so shy.

I believe this is an Western Spotted OrbWeaver spider {Neoscona oaxacensis}.

I have never seen this one hereabouts until now. At least, none that hangs around long enough to become big enough for me to take macro pictures. It is a very tiny spider. The body of this one is probably slightly bigger than 1/4 inch. The web seems large for such a tiny thing and its strands are practically invisible to the naked eye. The web also seems very messy compared to the writing spider (mentioned further down this post).

Writing Spider {Argiope aurantia}
(Other common names: yellow garden spider, black and yellow garden spider, golden garden spider, corn spider, and McKinley spider.)

Speaking of spiders, We had a plague of ordinary garden spiders around the house last year. However, we only had three this year and only one of them successfully mated and formed egg sacs (three in all). She lived practically under our patio roof and in harmony with a huge wasp nest that hung off a wire. The picture above is after she had laid her second egg sac. I figured it'd be her last. Nope. She wandered off and laid a third one several days later. She left her third egg sac after about three days and died several days later without spinning a new final web.

Banded Garden Spider {Argiope trifasciata}

I was missing the banded garden spiders this year. While out and about with Abby Gail, I discovered one on the other side of the garage. It pleased me to see the critter. I was kind of mean to the spider as I kept shaking her web in order to wake her up to get some decent pictures.

Green Lynx Spider Spiderlings {Peucetia viridans}

Last week, I posted about the Green Lynx Spider and her egg sac I encountered last October. I was keeping an eye on the sac daily and the female spider was guarding her sac for a long time.

In early December, I discovered that spiderlings have busted forth from the sac. I was extremely surprised because Garden Spiders stay in their sacs for a very long time. But, I have since learned through research that the Green Lynx spiderlings come out of the sacs about four weeks after being laid.

It was difficult trying to get a decent picture because they were active little buggers not to mention microscopic! But, I think I managed to get a few decent shots.

{To see a slightly larger image, go here.}

Green Lynx Spider {Peucetia viridans}

I have recovered most of the data from my old laptop (thanks Dan!) and can now use the pictures I took late last year. These pictures were all take back in October of 2015.

At first, I did not know what to make of the odd "debris" in my Lavender plant; but, upon a closer look, I was thrilled to have determined it was an elusive Green Lynx Spider with her egg sac. This is a first for me!

Macro Monday {Egg Sacs}

Way back in October, I did an inventory of all the egg sacs from garden spiders. In case you do not know, I observe those garden spiders that make their home (web) on the backside of our house and garage. And, I especially pick one or two to observe during their entire lifespan. Charlotte was my first and her possible descendant, Joy, was my second.

I consider 2014 to be the year of grasshoppers. It was almost a plague. Abby enjoyed hunting them. As for 2015, it was the year of garden spiders.

This is a spot on the back side of the garage. Six egg sacs, from at least four different garden spiders, are in view. What you do not see are two egg sacs way up high near the roof and one down below near the end of the gutter spout. That makes a total of nine egg sacs in this area alone.

In addition to this nine, we have two more on another side of the garage facing our back door. We also have a total of 17 all scattered on the backside of our house, underneath the patio roof, and on the backside of the A/C units. We also have two in a Crepe Myrtle tree and one in a Rosemary bush that I refused to pull up after the spiders were gone because this egg sac existed. I will pull it up in the spring after the spiderlings emerge.

Abby spied two garden spiders on one side of the house early in the (past) summer and tried to get one. Of course, I stopped her. I did not observe these spiders as much; but, during the inventory count, I discovered they left behind four egg sacs.

If I counted correctly, the garden spiders left behind a total of 35 viable egg sacs this summer. And, this does not count the ones out front or along the fence line.

Lord have mercy!

In addition to the perfectly made egg sacs, I observed a spider that was idiotic. She attempted to make an egg sac on a window screen! Not once; but, twice! The above picture was taken on August 31, 2015 and there she is on the top left (newest) mess. I figured this was the end of her life as they usually lay two sacs in their lifetime; but, a few do lay three (or more). I kept an eye on her and much to my surprise, she returned to her usual spot and spun a new web.

I have to confess that it was fascinating to see what goes into an egg sac. I went to the other side of the window and used My macro lens which showed exactly what was what. Over a few days, I observed a few turn into spiderlings. But, of course, they did not have a chance. The tiny little eggs were exposed to the elements and many were consumed by pests.

On the morning of September 11, 2015, I discovered the garden spider FINALLY got it right. She laid her third egg sac beside the window. You can see her resting and protecting the sac on the top left of picture. She was not long for this world though as she used up all her energy creating the sac.

By the way, It is going to be fun cleaning up the mess she left behind on the window screen. NOT!

A Garden Spider Molting

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.

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.

Macro Monday {Baby Garden Spiders}

Foreword: My current camera is dead. It was slowly dying and I have been struggling with it for months. It finally just died this past Saturday (April 18). Since it is so old, Dan and I decided that it would not be worth the cost of getting it fixed (refurbished). So, it will not be revived. May it rest forever in peace.

Dan and I went comparison and price shopping for a new camera and we both settled upon one. The manufacturer happened to have a promotion going on and I found a site that sold the camera with the promotion (sale) along with free accessories that I have wanted but never purchased! I had mad money I have been holding onto; but, Dan said that it'd be an anniversary present. So, with his approval, I purchased the camera and it should arrive this Wednesday (April 22).

In the meantime, I am posting some of my less than stellar pictures taken with my macro lens. (I was extremely nervous taking the pictures,) I also think they are very interesting. Of course, some people who have phobias may disagree. Ha!

Enjoy.

I've been keeping an eye on Charlotte's egg sacs waiting for her babies to emerge. There was another garden spider (called the Banded Garden Spider) who also laid an egg sac that is vastly different from Charlotte. I have been keeping an eye on that one also. Well, sometime early on April 9th, the babies came flooding out of their egg sac.

Thousands of babies. The blob on the upper right corner is the egg sac.

Cropped image of the first picture.

A closer look at the unusual egg sac.

It was my understanding that garden spider babies usually hang around for approximately 24 hours and disappear (balloon). But, these babies did not.

They formed into small clusters about 24 hours later and hung around for approximately two days and finally took off. Note: I had to use the flash for this picture because it was an extremely cloudy day.

Cropped image of previous picture.

The babies are obviously bigger and not so transparent.

I was sad that I did not witness the ballooning process which most likely occurred in the night. I was also very glad they were gone because they were making me extremely nervous! Ha!

Macro Monday {Cute Daring Spider}

It is a gloomy rainy cold morning. The temperatures are dropping. In fact, it dropped 10 degrees in about an hour. The power was out for approximately 40 minutes causing this house to be extremely dark and I had to work by flashlight! Fun and games.

I think and I hope spring is finally on its way. But, it is going to get cold (down to the 30* F) again tonight and tomorrow. Hopefully, this will be the last extreme cold spell because I am anxious to start planting my spring garden.

In the meantime, I decided to look through some old unprocessed pictures (oldest to newest) and found this cute critter.

Daring Spider; 4/21/2014

I miss seeing spiders hereabouts. I am still watching out for Charlotte's babies. I do not know when they will emerge or already have emerged from their egg sac. I read that they overwinter in the sac and emerge in the springtime. So, I have been keeping an eye out for them.

I heard that winter is hitting hard in some areas of USA. Stay safe. And, stay warm.

Macro Monday {Creepy}

{To see a larger image, go here.}

{To see a larger image, go here.}

It is just a wolf spider with millions of her babies.

The first picture was actually shot by Dan using my camera. I could not keep my hands still being so close to the spider. I do not hate spiders; but, I do have a healthy fear of them. Charlotte actually taught me that we can get along with one another as long as we don't mess with them (spiders).

The Life of Charlotte

One day early back in the spring time, a garden spider showed up near our back door and decided to make her home.

When it was determined that she was there to stay, we named her Charlotte after a fictional character in a book called Charlotte's Web.

She soon attracted male spiders.

And, she made beautiful signatures on rare occasions.

I noticed she did most of her rebuilding of her web in the night.

And, she grew.

I felt privileged to have witnessed the next event. She molted.

{Note: this is not my garden spider; but, that of another nearby. You can see the exoskeleton on the right.}

It was one gruesome event to witness. I did not think to grab my camera as I honestly thought she was dying; but, it turned out that she just grew rapidly and needed out of her exoskeleton. In the course of research, the males provides protection while the female molts. I learned something new.

And, she feasted. And, grew.

The males cautiously got closer. She had three altogether at one point.

And one by one, the males disappeared until only one was left.

He got lucky.

And, she was kind to him as he lived out the rest of his life (two days) on her web.

She grew enormous.

She soon made her first egg sac.

{She was putting on the finishing touches early in the morning and soon went back to her web.}

She laid a total of two egg sacs.

On September 17th, not long after she laid her second egg sac, I discovered she packed up her web and moved.

And, I knew.

Like Charlotte of Charlotte's Web, She was dying.

In my heart of hearts, I wanted to know what happened to her. So, I looked.

I found her temporarily ensconced underneath a pad used for gardening and over a bucket.

And, she moved overnight to her final resting place and spun her last beautiful web.

She was located between the end of our farm table and several pallets.

She died in peace on September 21st. She lived a full life.

And, hopefully the cycle of life will begin anew early next spring via her eggs.

I am so thankful for her bravery (she put up with us) and the privilege of observing her life. I have learned so much about spiders through her.