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June 30, 2022  |  By Matt Hamas

Orb Weaver

Orb Weaver Big Bend Campsite Live

Orb Weaver - IUCN Conservations Status: Varies

The orb weaver bounced around in the breeze

I love macro photography, but to do macro photography, the photographer must get close to their subject, ideally just a few inches from the front of the lens. When your subject is static and safe, like say a flower, no big deal. When your subject is mobile and venomous, like say this spider, now things get interesting. Fortunately, this orb weaver does not possess enough venom to be considered a threat to humans. They have small fangs and not considered aggressive.

Plains Lubber Grasshopper

This photo was taken in Big Bend National Park, in southwest Texas. Some friends and I were camping out in the desert for a few days. One day while exploring around our campsite, I came across this spider and shot a series of photos. It was slightly windy, and the spider was bouncing on the web. I decided to go with hand photographing, rather than using my tripod. I shot a series of photos, attempting to get a light-colored background, as the spider bounced around in the breeze. I wanted the light-colored background so that the detail of the spider would show. 

When the orb weaver is creating a web to capture prey, they face a tradeoff. The stickier they make their web, the more the web is visible to their prey. The way prey gets trapped into a web in the first place is that they don’t see the web. So, the spider is left to find a balance. Interestingly, there are some orb weavers that do not build webs. Instead, these orb weavers produce sticky drops containing pheromones. Pheromones are chemicals produced to trigger a response in nature. In this case, the pheromone droplet attracts a few species of male moths. The moths fly to the droplet, which is hanging from a silken thread. Once stuck on the droplet, the spider will pull in its latest victim.

Mexican Jay

The more you know

We think of spiders are predators, and they certainly are. However, spiders are not at the top of the food chain. Some species of birds and wasps will eat orb weaver spiders. How do they do this? In the case of the wasp, they will land on the web and mimic the vibrations of a stuck insect. The spider is lured to the scene thinking it has caught its next meal, only to be surprise attacked by the wasp. Very clever!

Once stuck on the droplet, the spider will pull in its latest victim

Katydid

Did you know?!

Orb weaver spiders only live for about a year!

An orb weaving spider was found preserved in amber in northern Spain. It dated back to the Lower Cretaceous period!

Some orb weavers build a new web every day.

THIS MONTH'S GALLERY
black and white hiking macro spider texas weird

Article by Matt Hamas

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Matt Hamas and Ben Ivers here. We are focused on fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the environment. We endeavor to bring you a unique perspective of the wild. Our photos are being placed here for you to enjoy. Please feel free to download any of the photos for your personal use. We are currently seeking partners for printing and developing photos.

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