When I first spotted it, the spider was stationary in the middle of its web.
Then a small insect flew into the web, causing it to vibrate - and alert the waiting spider, which immediately rushed off towards the unfortunate victim.
Within a few seconds the spider was tucking into its meal - an aphid by the looks of it.
Gone!
I wasn't specifically trying to photograph a spider. I just happened to see it as I was lining up a shot of my olive tree, whose fruits are forming now:
Don't get too excited. That olive is about 5mm in diameter!
Bingo! That's the spider which lives in my greenhouse. I'm not very fond of spiders so I don't get too close, but it's a definite identification. There's another living on the outside of the greenhouse too.
ReplyDeleteAwesome photo's. Spider's play such a valuable role in the food chain, helping to control the numbers of unwanted pests. It is such a pity that most people seem to have an inherent fear of them. This time of the year always seems to bring the rain spiders in, I have had them in my shower AGAIN!, in my daughter's, son's and our bedroom. I never kill them but relocating them outside is always a scary task.
ReplyDeleteAhhhhhhhhhhh!
ReplyDeleteTotally awesome!
ReplyDeleteYou were small once too - the olive looks very exciting to me.
ReplyDeleteWhy oh why did I open this post just before I go to sleep?
ReplyDeleteSurely the title should have given me a clue! :$
I'm trying to focus on the olive now instead.
Enjoy your weekend whatever you have planned.
Spiders are such fascinating creatures. On our website we have a video taken of a garden spider spinning it's web. We slowed down the film and it was amazing to watch how the web was produced.
ReplyDelete