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Within the Maze
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: MY Wong (Seabird)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 193 W: 0 N: 357]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif) (1375) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2009-03-29 |
| Categories: Insects |
| Camera: Canon EOS 10D, Tamron 90mm macro |
| Exposure: f/2.8, 1/60 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2009-03-29 5:36 |
| Viewed: 651 |
| Points: 20 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Dear all,
I am back!! I hope you'd still remember me : )
I'm so happy to return to TN, after having finished my medical study and the final exams : ) I will start working as a doctor from this July onwards.
I miss taking photos a lot! I miss all the TN friends here. I hope all of you are happy and well : )
This photo was taken this afternoon during a walk to the Peak of Hong Kong. The season of Spring not only brings Hong Kong much rain, it also reveals the beauty of nature's best architect.
This photo is not up to any standard technically (I wish the raindrops could all come out sharp), but I hope you'd still enjoy the artistic aspect of this photo.
Have a great weekend!!
Cheers,
Man Yee
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_web
A spider web, spiderweb, spider's web or cobweb (from the obsolete word "coppe", meaning "spider" sometimes with the connotation of being a dusty, abandoned web) is a device built by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets.
Insects can get trapped in spider webs, providing nutrition to the spider; however, not all spiders build webs to catch prey, and some do not build webs at all.
Spiders have several spinneret glands located at their abdomen which produce the silken thread. Each gland produces a thread for a special purpose. Seven different gland types have currently been identified, although each species of spider will possess only a few of these types, never all seven at once.
Normally a spider has three pairs of spinnerets, but there are spiders with just one pair or as many as four pairs of spinnerets, with each spinneret having its own function.
During the process of making a web the spider will use its own body for measurements, a very practical and ergonomic design feature of any web. This will allow the spider to move quickly around its own web with very few faults.
It will start with the most difficult part of construction, the first thread. The spider effectively uses the wind to carry its initial adhesive thread. With some luck the silk is released from its spinners and carried by the wind to a suitable adherable surface. When it sticks to a surface the spider will carefully walk over the thread and strengthen it with a second thread. This process is repeated until the primary thread is strong enough to support the rest of the netting.
After strengthening the first thread the spider will continue to make a Y shaped netting. The first three radials of the web are now constructed. More radials are added making sure that the distance between each radial is small enough to cross. This means that the number of radials in a web directly depends on the size of the spider plus the size of the web.
After the radials are complete the spider will fortify the center of the web with about five circular threads. Then a spiral of non-sticky, evenly spaced, circular threads are made for the spider to easily move around its own web during construction. The spider then, beginning from the outside in, will methodically create the adhesive spiral threads. It will utilize the initial radiating lines as well as the non-sticky spirals as guide lines. The spaces between each spiral will be directly proportional to the distance from the tip of its back legs to its spinners. This is one way the spider will use its own body as a measuring/spacing device. While the sticky spirals are formed the non-adhesive spirals are removed as there is no need for them anymore.
After the spider has completed its web it will chew off the initial three center spiral threads then sit and wait. If the web is broken without any structural damage during the construction the spider does not make any initial attempts to rectify the problem.
Webs allow a spider to catch prey without having to expend energy by running it down. Thus it is an efficient method of gathering food. However, constructing the web is in itself an energetically costly process due to the large amount of protein required, in the form of silk. In addition, after a time the silk will lose its stickiness and thus become inefficient at capturing prey. It is not uncommon for spiders to eat their own web daily to recoup some of the energy used in spinning. The silk proteins are thus 'recycled'.
The tensile strength of spider silk is greater than the same weight of steel and has much greater elasticity. Its microstructure is under investigation for potential applications in industry, including bullet-proof vests, and artificial tendons.
Researchers have used genetically modified mammals to produce the proteins needed to make this material. |
gannu, maurydv, eqshannon, red45, nglen, Heaven, oanaotilia has marked this note useful
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- gannu
(14691)
- [2009-03-29 5:54]
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Hello My Wong, Welcome back Doctor. Nice to see you around. This is a superb shot and thanks for sharing. hope to your shots more and regular. Once again welcome back. Ganesh
Hello Man Yee,
welcome back, lovely to see your photographs again and congratulations Doctor;
an interesting macro shot of the raindrops on the spider's web, very good contrast against the black BG.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio
I caught you TN name right off the bat..Glad you have returned...and with this fine almost extraterrestrial image yet super fine in macro..one of those thoughtful pattern weaving shots which draw in the viewer..Very nice and sit down and stay for a while!
Bob
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- red45
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(30243) - [2009-03-29 10:28]
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Hello ManYee!
Sure I remember you :-) Welcome back and congratulations, doctor!
Lovely picture, real work of art. I like black, 'endless' BG with bright spots of crystal droplets. Spider is only small addition here :-) I really like it and I ope we'll see more pictures from you soon!
Ciao Man Yee, great see you again on TN, thanks for this splendid composition with fantastic light, very well done, ciao Silvio
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- nglen
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2907 W: 34 N: 8619]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(32124) - [2009-03-29 11:50]
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Hi Man Yee. Congratulation on becoming a doctor it was worth all of the hard work. Firstly you have interesting notes to go with the pictue of the spiders webb.Good detail and i like the water droplets. well done TFS.
Nick..
Welcome back.
Hello MY Wong,
First of all congratulations on becoming a doctor. Nice macro of droplets on web. Black BG looks good. Nice sharp image. TFS - regards - Adil.
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- Heaven
(6042)
- [2009-03-29 22:39]
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Hi My!
I first would like to congratulate you for your examinations and wish you great success as a doctor. I'm glad to see you back and I hope that your job will allow you to practise your hobby.
You come back with a beautiful and surprising picture. I like the effect created by the dark background contrasting with the bright spots very much. It gives the picture an abstract aspect. I also appreciate your detailed notes.
Kind regards
Markus
Hello Man Yee
Glad to be back!And congratuletion for your degree and I hope you will be a great doctor! Sincerly, a great picture for this comeback!I like all the planes, the thin wires, the water drops like the diamonds, all this almost b-w. And is much more better if the drops are not all sharp: it creates an 3D imagine. And the middle think, colored, in like the cerrie on the cake! Excellent!
Oana
Hello, ManYee. And welcome back!
I really like this abstract image of this spider web. The geometry of the threads forms some nice angles. I like the mix of blurred and sharp objects in this image, and the brightness of the drops and threads against the dark background.
Nice to have you back among us!
Randy
![Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 47 W: 18 N: 63]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-s-g.gif)
(217)