Photo Adventures with Curiosity and Learning


October 29, 2007:Leucauge decorata and the mating game

This is my little corner and my setup: D200 + 180 mm Tamron macro + flash + bluetooth GPS (rubberband attached to flash head) + Indura tripod (recommended by the guys at Southeast Camera in Carrboro). Just in front of the fern that the lens is pointed toward, is a small group of radial strands of a web with a male and female Leucauge decorata - and they have started the mating game

Camera and tripod setup

Its tough to focus - since they are not in the same focal plane. This gives you some idea of the size scale.

oct 29 8017 male female leucauge context

I usually walk around a bit to see what else is happening - and found a couple of big bees (or whatever) + butterflies

oct 29 8035 big bee

And he took off. There was little light so the shutter speed is quite slow (1/125) - and his / her wings are a blue

oct 29 8036 big bee flying

A closer view

oct 29 8043 big bee

Another big bee (or whatever)

oct 29 8066 big bee

And a butterfly

oct 29 8053 bfly

Then back to the Leucauge decorata web. You will notice that the web is pretty primitive. The female just sort of hangs out by day - but about 6:30pm, she starts weaving the circumferential components for a night of hunting

oct 29 8082 male female leucauge

The male just sort of dances around her, looking for a signal

oct 29 8089 male female

Another orientation

oct 29 8091 male female leucauge

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

C. Frank Starmer

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