08 June 2009

Badumna [2]

Badumna and asilidSame event, but photographed using flash (strobe), allowing better depth of field but losing that lovely backlight through the spider's legs. Note how some of the strands of the web appear scruffy and tangled — these spiders don't use glue on their webs but instead spin some strands with this peculiar tangled structure, which entraps prey by catching on hairs, bristles and appendages. The spider lives out of sight in a retreat and on detecting prey struggling in the web, rushes out to deal to it.
All content © 2009 Pete McGregor

5 comments:

Batteson.Ind said...

There's something about close up insects that is very ethereal.... very neat photo.. that must be one hell of a lense !-)

Chapa said...

Great shot.

pohanginapete said...

Watercats, thanks. The lens is excellent, but nothing out of the ordinary (Canon 100 mm f2.8 macro, if that means anything). For close-up work like this I usually use some combination of teleconverter and extension rings, and it almost always requires a flash (strobe) unit on an extension cord. The techniques are pretty standard.

Chapa, thanks :^)

John Maslowski said...

Magnificent macro, has to be the best spider shot I've seen. Excellent details and sharpness.

pohanginapete said...

Thanks John, that's quite a compliment! :^)