Photo Adventures with Curiosity and Learning


September 11, 2010: Gaussian Cyrtophora webs

The temp this morning was 24C - below the dew point so there was quite a heavy dew when I went out spider hunting. The most obvious effect was that in the high grass, there were Cyrtophora webs everywhere and most inhabited by their mistress. Here is one

sep 11 9435 crytophora web

And a wider view showing the stuff (dinner) hanging above?

sep 11 9440 crytophora web food

Here is another web - the floor has heavy dew but the Gaussian surface does not. You can see the mistress in the middle right

sep 11 9442 web carpet

Here she is, focused

sep 11 9444 cyrtophoara web female

Another view

sep 11 9446 crytophora female web close

Here is quite an amazing Cyrtophora web - and the Gaussian surface (tent) also has collected some dew

sep 11 9448 cyrtophora web female

Next to this web was a cluster of baby spiders -

sep 11 9455 baby spiders

You can see the egg sac attached under the leaf

sep 11 9456 baby spiders

Dew drops on Cyrtophora web

sep 11 9463 crytophora pearls

There were other small orb webs - that collected dew -

sep 11 9468 wet web

A close look at pearls of dew

sep 11 9469 web pearls

Another dew-laden orb web

sep 11 9477 wet web

Here is a dew-laden funnel web with Ms Funnel Web at the entrance to her web

sep 11 9482 funnel web spider

A closer look with dew drops magnifying the web structure

sep 11 9490 funnel web spider

Dew drops everywhere

sep 11 9494 funnel web spider close

Unfolding ferns in the low morning sun

sep 11 9502 fern

A wasp exiting a morning glory

sep 11 9508 morning glory wasp

Another stop exiting the morning glory

sep 11 9509 glory wasp

Here was a snail taking a peak, extending her eye thingy

sep 11 9547 snail peak

A hoverfly - not hovering

sep 11 9586 hoverfly

Same hoverfly - different location

sep 11 9591 hoverfly

An assassin bug

sep 11 9598 assassin bug

Different view

sep 11 9602 assassin bug

A Leucauge web - sagging under the weight of the accumulated dew

sep 11 9614 sagging web

Another view

sep 11 9617 leucauge sagging web

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C. Frank Starmer

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