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Siesta!
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Siesta!

by Lucy VanSwearingen

Gallery: Macro & Close-upPosted May 19, 2017129 views3 comments
Have you ever wondered where spiders go to sleep?  Here's one spider's answer!

This, good sized, orb weaver has curled herself up in a leaf to take her siesta.  She used her webbing to glue several vitex leaves together to make a cozy bed.   They are active at night, but I had never known where they sleep during the day!   Now, I know!  I peeled back her cover leaf and used a flash, which didn't wake her, to get a good look.  Finally, I processed her in HDR to finish the photo.

If you look closely, you can see her red eyes reflected by the flash.
Hope you like her.

Comments

3 comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on May 20, 2017 at 11:03 AM
What a neat catch, Lucy.  The spider stands out well against all of the green leaves and I'm thoroughly enjoying the sense that she's a "ball of legs".  I also like that you shot this from the side as it creates a better sense of her hiding place.  Nice job, peeling back the top leaf.  Did you replace it afterwards, as leaving it off would make her much more likelyto be discovered and eaten by birds?
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on May 20, 2017 at 12:07 PM
Yes, I replaced it like I found it.  It's folded behind the nest at the top.  She woke up that night and had a good supper, after weaving her new web!
Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on May 21, 2017 at 3:56 PM
Cool, I got a good chuckle out of your statement that she got a good supper.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments