Arboreal Orb Weaver (Spider)

If you missed a blog post from me yesterday, it was because I was on the road and unable to get a post ready. But as I prepared this post last evening (Sunday), I was serenaded by a young bull elk bugling away (I was in my second floor motel room, with the door open, and listening to the young bull as he worked at pulling together his harem)! I am in Estes Park for a couple of days to shoot the bugling elk as the elk rut goes into full-swing, as well as some fall color landscapes, all in nearby Rocky Mountain National Park.

Not sure how much photography will take place today … there is an 80% chance of thunderstorms. But even if it rains, I will go into the park and do some scouting … where are the majority of elk hanging out? Where are the largest patches of aspens? Any moose around? A little bit of preparation hopefully will lead to more “Kodak Moments” :o)

Today’s post was made a couple of weeks ago, at the natural prairie that is not far from my Missouri home. As I was hiking the meadow and photographing wildflowers, I came upon an Arboreal Orb Weaver spider, which I always enjoy photographing. This guy was on one of my favorite meadow wildflowers, the Blue Sage:

Arboreal Orb Weaver spider on Blue Sage wildflower

After making a few images, I moved in closer and got this image:

Arboreal Orb Weaver spider on Blue Sage wildflower

You can see a lot of small webbing around the plant, but his trademarked, large circular web was not evident. Maybe it will be waiting for me on my next visit to the meadow!

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Canon 5D Mark 3 body
  • Canon EF180mm, f/3.5 macro lens
  • Bogen 3221 tripod with Graff Studioball SB-QR ballhead
  • ISO not recorded, but likely was 400
  • Aperture not recorded, but likely was f/3.5 to f/4.5
  • Shutter not recorded

 

 

Posted in Insect Photography, Macro Photography, Nature Photography, Wildflowers
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