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11-AUG-2008

framed in diamonds - brenda
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This is a female black and yellow argiope, about an inch long not counting legs. The zigzag pattern woven into her web was made by the male.

Olympus Evolt E-510
1/100s f/5.6 at 42.0mm iso400 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Collin Baxter19-Aug-2008 17:41
Love the web. Nice to see nature stuf shown as well.
Guest 18-Aug-2008 00:11
Stefan, I lack the technical skills to change the backdrop but I bet it would look wonderful if it were very dark!! Navy would really bring out the web. I have a lot of spider shots. I'd love to learn more techniques. If anyone wants to try playing around with this one, please feel free.

Apparently, the male kind of hangs around the periphery and waits for the female to take an interest in him, then courts her by lightly wrapping her in silk. He's just a little guy, who might die during mating, or end up with legs missing and expire soon afterwards. The female makes an egg sac in early fall and guards it for awhile, then dies as well. Talk about life being "poor, nasty, brutish and short"!

Brenda
Stefan 17-Aug-2008 14:10
Hahahaha. I love the context provided in your note, Brenda. The guy tries helping out around the house and gets it all wrong. But at least he tried, eh? Great shot, with the dramatically colored spider in the web's center, and that center being so much denser than the periphery. I also wonder how it would look with a navy blue or black backdrop.
Guest 12-Aug-2008 20:19
Another excellent shot. The marking on this fellas back are very strange, maybe some sort of anti-predator disguise?
Shirley Haden12-Aug-2008 02:41
Ewwwwww such beauty from such scary arachnids! Their webs are really works of art and I prefer them outdoors like here in your very good shot! I think your photos are getting better and better Brenda! You got a lot closer then I would want to get to this pretty spider and you weren't even shaking at 1/100s on the shutter. Yikes!