Thought i would share this with all my brit chums,Its been soo hot here in NC for the last couple of months that most of the wildlife takes shelter well before sunrise-its still 75 degrees then and last week we had a few days topping 100,So during the day i have been documenting the local butterflies and bugs, I looked in the shady area on the side of my house and discovered a female Black Widow with a couple of egg sacks, I have watched and shot her over the last 3 days and noticed how in the evening she carefully bites the web around the egg sack and moved it close to the wall and then in the morning put it back out into the open-very interesting to watch, She will be moved in a couple of days as the wife read that they have between 100 and 400 young and is now completely spooked
Nikon D3 180 Sigma Macro
1/4@F16
Cable release
ISO 800
Posted by John Robinson on August 12, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Brilliant picture !
Plenty of punch to that one.
JohnR
Posted by Peter Woods on August 12, 2009 at 1:21 PM
Dave, great image... I would not be waiting a couple of days... as soon as I had my pics she would be gone
An interesting story Dave and a fine image too.
400 of them!!!! rather you than me
A single spider legging it across the living room floor is enough to spook me
Posted by David Kjaer on August 12, 2009 at 1:22 PM
Hi Dave
Nice image and your text makes it so much more interesting - I share your wife's concern for the potential number of these spiders around your house especially come the autumn!
Interesting post DC with a good narrative too, as usual!
Like Marian Dave, I too would be rather wary about these being so close to the house. Suppose Alfie is confined to Barracks. Nice to see you posting again, hope Barry follows soon
cheers
Steve
Posted by Mark Davies on August 12, 2009 at 5:35 PM
Spine tingeling stuff. A great capture . I remember an encounter with a Brown recluse spider in Georgia eeek !
great story attached not surprised the wife wants rid.
Posted by Simon Litten on August 12, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Kudos on using a macro lens on one of these - I would have used the longest lens and all the extenders I could find and got as far away as I could. In fact where I'm sitting now seems about the right distance!
Not sure I could deal with that being so close to my house! Evil looking thing, although it is the colours of a Nikon body so I'll give it credit for that haha
Posted by Craig Jones on August 12, 2009 at 7:18 PM
Great capture,love the story too, nice work
Posted by Peter Edge on August 13, 2009 at 5:06 AM
Lovely shot Dave . I think you could confiscate the egg sack and ask Marian if you can keep the mum.
Good advert for the Sigma lens as well.
Pete
Posted by Paul Inglis on August 13, 2009 at 6:50 AM
Hi Dave,
Now that's a specimen I'd like to steer clear of! I'm with your wife on this one! Great story and shot though!
The only Black Widow I want near the house is a catapult!
very interesting Dave and a nice shot too. As a lover of all things wild, and particularly insects and spiders, I am always very reluctant to remove or harm insects and enjoyed watching and photographing a median wasp nest next to my lawn last summer (much to my wife's annoyance!). But I think I my 'live and let live philosophy' would struggle with several hundred Black Widows. Blimey. I think I'd be tempted to move her and her eggs sacs somewhere remote.
Matt
Posted by Brett Lewis on August 13, 2009 at 12:56 PM
Really nice capture to see all subject, web and egg sack.. Nice work dave. Well seen and captured. I'm guessing that even if you moved her and the eggs there'll be plenty more where she came from..?
Kind regards,
Brett
Posted by David Taylor on August 13, 2009 at 1:28 PM
Great shot and story. It would be interesting to know how many people are actually harmed by these spiders if there are so many around. I ended up in casualty a few weeks ago after eating a fresh fig. I had an extreme allergic reaction within 10 minutes of eating it
It took three days for the swelling around my eyes to go down. Needless to say I will be stearing clear of them in the future, but I wouldn't want to ban them.
Discussion
14 repliesNikon D3 180 Sigma Macro
1/4@F16
Cable release
ISO 800
Plenty of punch to that one.
JohnR
One is bad enough but 100's..... no way
400 of them!!!! rather you than me
A single spider legging it across the living room floor is enough to spook me
Nice image and your text makes it so much more interesting - I share your wife's concern for the potential number of these spiders around your house especially come the autumn!
David
Like Marian Dave, I too would be rather wary about these being so close to the house. Suppose Alfie is confined to Barracks. Nice to see you posting again, hope Barry follows soon
cheers
Steve
great story attached not surprised the wife wants rid.
Nice shot, Dave.
Simon
Not sure I could deal with that being so close to my house! Evil looking thing, although it is the colours of a Nikon body so I'll give it credit for that haha
Good advert for the Sigma lens as well.
Pete
Now that's a specimen I'd like to steer clear of! I'm with your wife on this one!
The only Black Widow I want near the house is a catapult!
Matt
Kind regards,
Brett
It took three days for the swelling around my eyes to go down. Needless to say I will be stearing clear of them in the future, but I wouldn't want to ban them.