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Hairy Experience


Hairy Experience
Photo Information
Copyright: Gerhard Theron (gerhardt) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1936 W: 244 N: 4106] (11620)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-05-01
Categories: Spiders
Camera: Minolta Dimage Z1
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/400 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Araneae (Spiders) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2004-07-30 19:50
Viewed: 12927
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 24
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Arthropoda, Class: Arachnida, Order: Araneae, Suborder: Labidognatha, Family: Tetragnathidae, Genus: Nephila, Species: Pilipes Fenestra

Black legged golden orb-web spider

The Tetragnathidae is a small family comprising 7 genera in South Africa and includes both diurnal and nocturnal species ranging in length from 5-30 mm. They pose no threat to man.

The largest and most impressive genus is Nephila. This species, Nephila pilipes fenestra, the black-legged golden orb-web spider, constructs a large vertically inclined, sulphurous yellow orb-web which has the top section missing and may in semi-social populations join onto the bottom of another Nephila orb-web sometimes forming an awesome, almost inpenetrable curtain of webs - like something from a Harrison Ford movie - that are capable of capturing small birds. Nephila's web is usually supported between two trees and can span enormous spaces, metres wide, about 1,5 metres or more from the ground. Nephila is a diurnal spider and the females are large, measuring 15-30 mm in length while the males are only about 5mm and are only one thousandth of the females weight. The female is almost entirely black and the first, second and fourth pairs of legs have a brush of bristles on the tibia. The third pair of legs is the shortest with no brush.

The Nephila male has interesting mating manoeuvres. He presents the female with a fly wrapped in silk and while the female is feeding, he will copulate with his preoccupied mate. There are usually one or two amorous males in the female's web as well as one or more tiny spiders with silver triangular abdomens. These are called dewdrop spiders of the genus Argyrodes (family Theridiidae) and they clean the orb-webs of prey too small for the host spider.

Previously at TE, moving to TN.
TAZ, carper, PDP, nwoehnl, Callie, japie, mogens-j, letr, danbachmann, Esox has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2004-07-31 1:58]

Good macro for a strange spider ;-) Nice color and good detail.

Great macro of a spinder.
Good shapness and nice colors
Good note too.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2004-07-31 4:53]

The fly said to his friends "I bet I can sit on that spiders knee".

Nice shot Gerhard. Interesting spider, I wish there was more like on it's head. Good composition and detail.

Well Gerhard I like it.
Very nice capture of this spider, I like the dof and the silk web, great details very good job you did

Great macro shot of this spider, Gerhard. Its anatomical details are very well rendered, and you also had a favorable light to be able to show the golden web in a very satisfying way. Outstanding note with a lot of interesting facts. Well done.

  • Great 
  • Callie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1101 W: 95 N: 2610] (7555)
  • [2004-07-31 13:31]

Gerhard
Yes, I recognise it, this is a very nice post of an beautiful spider. The strong diagonal and the "misty" web makes for a lovely composition. Note is also very good.

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
  • [2004-07-31 15:45]

Very well taken and excellent detail. I like the way you have captured the others spiders and the fly captured in the web

This must have been a tuff one with all the hard light but you managed it very well without loss of details - the web is visible all over the picture. The clever handling of dof helps to focus on the spider. Very well done Gerhard. Very informative note too.

  • Great 
  • letr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 87 W: 50 N: 47] (130)
  • [2004-08-01 17:28]

Excellent colors, sharpness and composition..great Macro Gerhard with a very good note !! !!

  • Great 
  • Esox Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 239 W: 20 N: 344] (972)
  • [2004-08-07 12:33]

Great macro shot.
Very good details and DOF, and nice colors.
Very good work.

Great photo, and very informative note, thank you!

The composition is striking, the way the spider is set diagonal and walking towards the bottom of the photo.

Hello Gerhard.

Excellent picture, nice composition and colors.
Very good details.

Regards.
JoseLuis.

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