Spider on

Orange, yellow, spider.

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

A couple of days ago my daughter came to find me because she found “a cool spider eating a bee!”. It’s a crab spider, in particular a Misumena vatia, and has been hanging out on an orange poppy in our front yard ever since.

crab spider hanging out on an orange poppy

These are neat spiders. They spin no web so they spend most of the life waiting on a flower hoping to lure a bee close enough to kill it with their powerful venom. They can change colors too, switching from white to yellow and back as the need arises.

Welcome.

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Spiders, webs, help.

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0000

My daughter and I photographed more spiders spinning their webs this morning. When the sunlight hits the yard just right concentric forms glisten and shimmer just about everywhere the eye lands.

I love my daughter’s company as we wander the yard in search of photographs. She often chooses the subject and position: “Daddy, what about this tree?” Today she wanted to “help” with the tripod – and I couldn’t convince her otherwise.

Spiders, mushrooms, Harvest Fair, fall.

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0000

A face-full of spider webs as I hunt for a carpet of mushrooms confirms fall’s arrival.

forest floor of mushrooms

This banded spider, weaving away on a rhododendron, was kind enough to pose for photos.

banded garden spider

running away

On Saturday I volunteered with the TWL in preparation for the Harvest Fair. Bart and I moved about five truck loads of brush from one side of the farm to another – Bart on the tractor, I loading with the pitchfork. In the process we unearthed at least half-a-dozen mice, a baby frog and a newt – the eyes of a newt must have been the influence for Gollum’s. I really found the eyes mesmerizing – it’s no wonder so many magic potions call for their inclusion, they are other-wordly.