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A surprise from Rachel and Trevor: a silver or horizontal orb weaver Leucauge dromedaria
Name: DianaSpecies: Silver orb or Horizontal orb spider (Leucauge dromedaria) Kingdom: Metazoa (multicellular) Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Arachnida Order: Acarina Family: Tetranychidae Color: Silver with black and yellow markings Size: Body approximagely 1 cm (July 2, 2005) Behavior: These spiders build nearly horizontal webs and hang underneath the web. They are extremely fast, with a defensive response of dropping rapidly down from their launching position. They are also a bit shy and when I speak loudly, they quickly leave their launching position and hide among nearby leaves.
July 2, 2005: Rachel and Trevor and Max moved from Allentown to Easton. Of course, we had to come and help - moving, painting, etc etc etc. But their new home is in the middle of a wooded area - and there are many interesting spiders. This morning, I found several orb weavers that built almost horizontal webs. Here are their photos.
While I was watching her, she caught a small fly. The light was low and this provided a good opportunity for improving low light macro photos.
Saturday morning, July 2, 2005 - the start of the Tour de France and more exploring Leucauge dromedaria
In the plane of the web
From the top
From the front
This web does not belong to the silver orb weaver. However, after last night's rain, the image of a web sagging from the attached water droplets was impossible to resist.
Spider observation can be hazardous as I discovered today. The web above was
about 1 meter above a next of bald-face hornets. I managed to step near their
nest - and discovered that they are very territorial. One managed to
sting me through my t-shirt. I shall not forget this in the future.
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