Monday, July 31, 2017

July 31, 2017: Tetragnatha egg cluster

This morning was Tropical Storm Emily poured inches of rain on us.  By afternoon it partially cleared so I visited my Tetragnatha cluster.  Today looking for eggs - which I found.








Tetragnatha elongata depositing silk over eggs


Sunday, July 30, 2017

July 30, 2017: Tetragnatha building a blanket over eggs

I've been watching a Tetragnatha colony for several days. Lots of deposits of egg and covering blanket. Here the female is depositing a silk blanket. The weaving seems to have two components - depositing silk on the central mound and and then depositing a radial element. Not sure what the purpose of the radial element - perhaps lines to secure the blanket?

Depositing radial silk


Depositing central core silk


Guarding Eggs


Video of depositing silk to the central core and radial stabilizers
                                      


Friday, July 28, 2017

July 28, 2017 . Love is in the air (or rather, on a grape leaf)

I've found a Tetragnatha elongata colony over a small spillway near the main lake.  I've started making regular visits.  This morning, along the way, several old spider friends (Leucauge venusta, Sac Spider), a lizard shedding his skin and colorful insects.















Monday, July 24, 2017

Jul 23, 2017 Upper Hillsborough Tract



July 23, 2017:   Upper Hillsborough Tract (Southwest Water Management District)
Lots of interesting spiders near the parking lot - a result of "edge effect". Two jumpers that were non-cooperative.  Cabbage Palm fronds seemed to harbor many different flavors of spiders.

Argiope aurantia (juvenile)


Juvenile Nephila clavipes with breakfast 



Agelenopsis sp.


Broad-faced Sac Spider: Trachelas tranquillus




Argiope aurantia (juvenile)


Nephila clavipes with something similar to a robber fly


Micrathena sagittata 




A fluffy moth? with hiden eyes


Nephila clavipes in a wet web (mist sprayed on her web)


Leucauge venusta


Juvenile Argiope aurantia


Juvenile Argiope aurantia after spraying a water mist


Grasshopper


Larinia directa




Red Necked Caterpillar (Datana ministra)



Probably an adult Argiope trifasciata


Friday, July 21, 2017

July 21, 2017: Variations of the color red

I was out this morning, doing my rounds - and saw many interesting birds and took a few photos.   Later I posted to Facebook and Alexandra Badia said - what an interesting study of reds.  I missed this - and thanks to here, here are the variations of red