Photo Adventures with Curiosity and Learning

Today was a fun day. I had not visited my spider place for 2 weeks. At that time, I found a large female Nephila and 2 anxious males - starting the mating game. That night was a very strong storm. The next day, I returned by the web was gone and I thought - hmmm, end of story. But it was not the end of the story. I found her new web within 3 meters of her old web. But first - A Parawixia munching on breakfast

Another view

Then I managed to spook her when moving my tripod - so off to look for something else - and wow - my Nephila from 2 weeks ago

Here is an edge view of her golden silk

And Argyrodes busy harvesting silk and glue (there was no pray to steal - here is a good image of the glue drops on the circumferential strands and no glue on the radial strands

Argyrodes harvesting

Reflections of the sky on the abdomen of Argyrodes

Close

Another view

Then a pair of shield bugs mating

C. Frank Starmer

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