Golden silk spider

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Golden silk spider
Photo Information
Copyright: Alain Thibodeau (Athila) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 310 W: 238 N: 421] (1503)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 1983
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon F3, Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5, Ektachrome
Exposure: 1/60 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-01-24 9:23
Viewed: 2990
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 66
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Common name: golden silk spider
Scientific name: Nephila clavipes

Thank you Paul (Toucadoo) for the info.

- Introduction

In Florida and other southeastern states, the golden silk spider, Nephila clavipes (Linnaeus), a large orange and brown spider with the feathery tufts on its legs is well know to most native southerners. It is particularly despised by hikers and hunters, as during late summer and fall the large golden webs of this species make a sticky rap for the unwary. However, as is typical with most spiders, there is little real danger from an encounter with the golden silk spider. The spider will bite only if held or pinched, and the bite itself will produce only localized pain with a slight redness, which quickly goes away. On the whole, the bite is much less severe than a bee string. Typically, the webs are made in open woods or edges of dense forest, usually attached to trees and low shrubs, although they may be in the tops of trees or between the wires of utility lines (Krakauer 1972). Prey consists of a wide variety of small to medium-sized flying insects, including flies, bees, wasps, and small moths and butterflies (Robinson and Mirick 1971). We have also seen them feeding on small beetles and dragonflies. These spiders are not usually found in row crops, due to requirements of web support, but they were one of the two most common orb-weavers in citrus groves (Muma 1975) and have been recorded from pecan (Whitcomb unpublished). Small, immature instars occasionally make webs between rows in soybean fields (Whitcomb and Edwards unpublished).

- Distribution

Nephila clavipes is the only species…

- Identification

N. clavipes females are among the largest non-tarantula-like spiders in North America…

- Life History, Habits, and Habitat

Not enough room. More info on the following website:

Source: http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/golden_silk_spider.htm


Technical data:

Camera : Nikon F3
Lens : 55mm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor lens
F/stop : Not recorded
Shutter speed : Probably 1/60 sec for syncrho speed
Tripod: Handheld
Filter: None
Flash : Nikon SB-12 TTL mode
Film : Ektachrome
Flatbed Scanner: Epson 4180, slightly cropped to remove part of a door frame.
soccer, mogens-j, wallhalla15, andante, hummingbird24, TAZ, fiyo, marhowie, dew77, gerhardt, Luc, cedryk, alejandroguzman, pitai, Luce, AndyB, dantor, firelord has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To thor68: Male and femaleAthila 1 02-28 22:12
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Critiques [Translate]

Good detail and sharpness for this pic. I like the POV and DOF here in particular. It make the sharpness and detail of the subject stand out. TFS, Sheriff

HJi Alain!
I'm..... very, very, very... impressed.
What fantastic details... and a frame... it's really amazing shot.

Hello Alain

You could also have used the title "Dance Macabre". I do not know this species since we do not have them in Denmark but I am very much sure that what you show on this capture is an attempt of mating. It is very common among spiders that the female is very much bigger than the male. If the little guy is very smart and lucky he might survive otherwise he will end up as dinner.

Very good capture with plenty of details, nice colours and great handling of the light.

Fantastic shot, the clarity is perfect on this male(smaller) and female Orb Spider(Nephila clavipes). Well done Alain. :)

Hello Alain,
very good shot. Great POV, colours and very good details. Good visual impact. TFS.

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1702 W: 5 N: 2122] (11720)
  • [2006-01-24 12:21]

Bonjour Alain!

Une bonne pésentation,les détails sont bon et la composition jolie.J'aime bien la toile et les sujets sur ce Bg foncé.

Merci

joseph

Hi Alain,
this is a very good shot with great details and nice colours.
WEll composed and good POV. You did a great job with the scanning.
I agree wiht Mogens, this is probably a mating pair.
Excellent work.

  • Great 
  • Jannie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 250 W: 6 N: 246] (1127)
  • [2006-01-24 13:17]

Very good DOF and POV. Details are razor sharp and the colours look awesome.

Great job

Hi Alain
I love this picture.
Excellent composition Good color and definition. Excellent POV.
Love the frame
Thank you and Regards
JC

  • Great 
  • chiliu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1549 W: 0 N: 1182] (6482)
  • [2006-01-24 14:38]

Hi Alain,
Excellent macro!
Very sharp image with good lghting and colour.
Thanks for sharing!

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2447 W: 207 N: 2035] (8113)
  • [2006-01-24 14:53]

Excellent composition, very sharp details. Colors and light super.
I like the frame work.
SkyF

Alan, excellent in every aspect. Great clarity, excellent composition, DOF... have nowhere to nit-pick. Thanks for sharing
Enrique

This is an amazing photo Alain, and you have managed to capture some pretty incredible details.

I'm not sure of the ID, however, I would guess that the larger one is the female and the other is male, as this is pretty usual amongst the spider families.

Excellent composition, colors, exposure, and POV.

Another great work by you, thank you!

Super shot Alain

Big brother

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2395 W: 50 N: 3190] (10896)
  • [2006-01-25 1:47]

En voilà un joli couple très bien photographié ! La femelle est impressionnante et superbe. Bonne PdC qui a donné un fond soft et fait bien ressortir la toile. Compliments sincères Alain.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2761 W: 75 N: 7507] (25101)
  • [2006-01-25 3:03]

Sorry, I'm in rush now. Proper critique later!

Well done - good post, clear, good POV and the colours are super.TFS. Nice detailed note too

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 969 W: 5 N: 2191] (8018)
  • [2006-01-25 5:25]

Hello Alain,
Very good macro,
Great colours, good details and composition
Well done

Excellent shot Alain, Well composed and a great POV..
Sharp details, great light and colors. The second youngster? adds great inerest to this one. Very well done. Thank You!

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2006-01-25 11:31]

Hello Alain!
Very nice capture.Sharpness,POV,colors,
clear details,framing and composition
are wonderful.TFS...:-)

Hi Alain,
Superb composition and framing on this shot. The exposure looks to be perfect. Colors are well saturated. The detail is very sharp. Perfect DOF control beyond the web. Outstanding!
Scott

  • Great 
  • optic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 322 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2006-01-26 7:30]

Bon matin Alain,
Composition exceptionelle et très haute définition, couleurs bien contratées et belle lumière. Résultat splendide à partir de l'argentique et d'un scanner... Félicitations!

Christian

Excellent. Both the male and female. The details are tack sharp. They are my favourite spiders. Very well done.

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2058 W: 316 N: 4403] (14709)
  • [2006-01-27 20:18]

Excellent.
Thank you, Alain.
Sorry, I have no time these days to write complete comments.
Very well done. Well deserved icon.

  • Great 
  • cedryk Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 956 W: 57 N: 1608] (4945)
  • [2006-01-29 14:32]

Hello Alain,
Great shot of this strange pair! Who would believe they are of the same species!? I'm sure these poor male has some serious reason to feell unsecure here :-)
Best greetings,
Michal

STUNNING picture... very well composed and magnificent colors.

hugs
alejandro

this is a cool shot, alain! :-)
i really like the colors and details.
is that a male and a female?
did she eat him?
was it a scan from the paper photo?
extraordinary job, thor.

  • Great 
  • pitai Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 203 W: 15 N: 155] (1197)
  • [2006-03-20 5:52]

Hi Athila, I am a spider lover. can't help it. you got here a beautiful specimen. very good details and sharp. I don't know how you did it, but I am glad you included the web. TFS. Gabriel

  • Great 
  • Luce Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 80 W: 0 N: 15] (58)
  • [2006-03-26 11:39]

Je n'aime pas personnellement les araignées, mais je dois avouer que celle-ci est très impressionnante. Les détails sont très nette et la luminosité très bonne. Le fond sans détail mise à part la toile met bien les araignées en évidence.
Bravo

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1593 W: 32 N: 1363] (3978)
  • [2006-04-07 3:09]

Hello Alain,
This is an excellent capture of a male and female orb web.
Good sharp detail of both spiders and the web,very good dof and a nice background.
Excellent work.

TFS

Composition, sujet, netteté, couleurs et détail forment une agréable scène sur (si j'ose dire) une toile de fond toute indiquée!

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1262 W: 103 N: 4286] (19397)
  • [2006-05-13 11:30]

Superbe macro Alain, tout y est excellent, composition, piqué, éclairage. Bravo !

PS Excellent scan.

Mario

This really is a gorgeous shot. Sharp, great DOF and POV. This might not be a son but there may be babies soon!

Great shot.

Linda

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