Aug 02, 2017 Emerging Tetragnatha elongata spiderlings

Tetragnatha elongata spiderlings

I've not seen spiderlings in the wild so I picked 2 grape leaves, each with an egg cluster on it, and placed them in a ziplock bag along with a small wet paper towel segment.  After a week of waiting, they emerged last night while I was sleeping.  Here is the story.

An egg cluster patch.  The open area in the upper left of the patch is the escape hatch. Two spiderlings to the left and two in the middle right in the crease of the grape leaf

The escape hatch

Released in the wild - an idea of the size scale

They manage to build silk bridges between the leaves in a matter of minutes

Manipulating a silk strand

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

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

                                      

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.

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