Once again, we take a photographic journey through the field and forests in search of those lovable little creatures: the spiders!
Although not a favourite of many people, spiders and their world can be truly fascinating. Come along and explore... |
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We we think of spider webs, we tend to imagine one like the one above which is built by the Common Garden Spider, Araneus diadematus. They use this intricately designed web to hold their prey, creating one of these masterpieces each day. |
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This is a common garden spider called Cross Spider, Araneus diadematus, and a photo showing the numerous young that these spiders have.
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These spiders and many others, have an amazing patterns and designs on their bodies and legs. They can be really very attractive when looked at closely and their skill making these webs is second to none.
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These dome-shaped webs are the work of the Filmy Dome Spider, Prolinyphia marginata. It spins huge masses of these domes and then lives on the inside. It's amazing that such a small creature could build such a massive structure.
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This architect is a very busy individual indeed! |
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We often don't notice spiders as we brush against plants in the garden or woods. However, they do have the capabilities to make that strong silk-like thread which is used as a saftey device. When brushed off a twig or leaf or threatened in other ways, they use this thread as an escape mechanism, lowering themselves down and hopefully to safety.
These two pictures are of a crab spider, Philodromus Dispar. The image on the
right shows this escape line at it prepares to lower itself
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Many of us have been taught to be afraid or superstitious spiders. Since our early days of childhood, nursery rhymes, fairy tales and even movies have all combines to create this stigma. |
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| Little Miss Muffet and her encounter with a spider was probably one of our first introductions to the world of these eight-legged creatures. The frightening tale has probably stayed with many of us to this day, thus promoting with our fear and misunderstanding of spiders.
Although, if you are looking at the pictures here, you may not be one of these people! |
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| One of the great advantages of some of garden spiders, is their ability to change their colour to blend in with the different coloured flowers that they use as hunting grounds.
The Goldenrod Cran Spider, Misumena vatia, is capable of doing this. |
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The Goldenrod Crab Spider, Misumena vatia, can change from white to green and yellow in a very short time. They live in the lower parts of plants, curling a leaf or two, using their silk thread to pin the leaf into place.
This is one spider which doesn''t use a web for catching prey.
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| Goldenrods stalk their prey and they are very successful at catching
bumble bees,
butterflies and other insects. |
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