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The Sentry


The Sentry
Photo Information
Copyright: Gerhard Theron (gerhardt) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1942 W: 246 N: 4106] (11607)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-11-17
Categories: Spiders
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Tamron AF70-300mm LD, Digital ISO 100, Kenko Extension tube (36mm)
Exposure: f/11, 6 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Araneae (Spiders), Things in and around my house., Pisauridaes (Nurseryweb spiders). [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2004-11-18 4:01
Viewed: 4571
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Nursery Web Spider (Rothus Sp.)
Also known as: Funnel-web pisaurids

The Pisauridae is a large cosmopolitan family of spiders represented by 54 genera, of which 12 genera and 32 species are known from Southern Africa. The family has diverse life-styles and has reverted from web building to free-living wanderers.

Diagnostic characters
They have a cryptic, carapace frequently decorated with white longitudinal bands or symmetrical patterns of black on brown or grey on black, abdomen with paler longitudinal bands or spots. The carapace are longer than wide with blunt tubercles in some genera. Their legs are relatively long, sometimes with numerous spines. They are between 8-30mm in size. This specimen was about 30mm.

They have diverse kinds of webs that are made varying from large sheet-webs with funnel retreats to sheet webs made on plants or on the soil surface. The funnel part of the web is used as a retreat. In the plant dwellers a leaf is slightly bent downwards, and a short tube-like retreat with both ends open is constructed in the curve of the leaf.

Pisaurid courtship is complex and the male not only makes use of tactile and chemo-tactile stimuli but also vibratory visual display. It has been observed in some species that the male catches prey, wraps it in silk and carries it in the chelicerae to the female as a "bridal gift" before mating. The pisaurid female usually carries the egg cocoon beneath her sternum, held by her chelicerae and palpi. Just before the young emerge the female constructs a framework of silk, known as a nursery web in which she deposits the eggs. After emerging from the egg cocoon the young, stay in this nursery web before they disperse, hence their common name nursery web spiders.

This one made his home between the wall and the cornice of the ceiling. Just above my backdoor. I normally leave the out light on at night and numerous insect gather there. It’s the ideal hunting ground for the spider. No that I know where it hunts maybe I can get some shots of it feeding.

Technical data
Time of day: 11:36PM
Weather conditions: Night
Focal length: 218mm
Flash: Canon Speedlight 550EX
Manfrotto 055 PRO Tripod, Manfrotto #222 Ballhead
Camera mode: Aperture priority
ellis49, RAP, red45, marhowie, Luc, willie, Esox, PDP, extramundi, Lesley, AndyB, Lourens has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To willie: Poisonous...gerhardt 1 11-19 00:13
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Critiques [Translate]

Good shot, good details.
Well done

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2645 W: 74 N: 9100] (31089)
  • [2004-11-18 4:37]

Well done picture with suitable note. Good job!

Great macro Gerhard.
Very good with vert good details and a great note.
Very well done.

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2004-11-18 7:19]

Excelente captura nocturna Gerhard... con impresionante agudeza y perfecto DOF y POV.
Sin flash? Unicamente con los 6 seg?
Bonito disparo.

Excellent nocturnal capture Gerhard... with impressive sharpness and perfect DOF and POV.
Without flash? Only with the 6 seg?
Nice shot.

Gerhard, It's a great shot with a good POV! I found the notes interesting, especially the gifts before sex part again!! ;-) Well done!

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1843 W: 304 N: 4304] (14755)
  • [2004-11-18 11:27]

You are really on a macro trip, Gerhard and I find this interesthing.
30mm is a big spider for me.
Well seen: "Somewhere over your backdoor" and well done.
Thanks

Gerhardt, I am not crazy about spiders, I like the flat ones, really flat. Is this one poisoness or not.
Good picture

very beautiful spider, which I prefer on this shot it's the longor of the legs

  • Great 
  • Esox Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 239 W: 20 N: 344] (972)
  • [2004-11-18 14:40]

Hello.
A great macro shot, indeed.
The composition is a real success.
And the note is so complete.
Many thanks.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2004-11-18 14:58]

He he he, excellent! They look so very like our Pisaura mirabilis. I think maybe yours get bigger than ours. Super spider. Thanks Gerhard.

I agree with Paul, if not bigger than ours it looks more robust and strong. Very nice face with the palps. Thanks

  • Great 
  • Lesley Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 297 W: 13 N: 913] (2988)
  • [2004-11-18 17:56]

WOW...I can see it's little face and all. Wonderful rendering of this creepy crawler, Gerhard!

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1366 W: 32 N: 1351] (3982)
  • [2004-11-18 19:31]

A very good shot.
Excellent detail and DoF.
Great note too.
Well done.

i thought, the spider i posted was big, now i know what they ment with 'bad influence' haha ;o)
very good shot, excelent details!the composition and colours, they are good too.o wouldn't want to bumb into one like that here, maybe i'll first take some quick picures and 'than' run away haha :D

Excellent macro, Gerhard. I am impressed wth those extension tubes you are using!! Excellent note as well.

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
  • [2004-11-19 23:20]

Normal people sleep this time of the night and are not out chasing spiders, except for spiderman of course!

Great sharpness and exposure, especially since it is at night.

Great work and thanks for posting.

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