I've been watching a large cross spider (Araneus diadematus) for some time now. He sets up his web at night, and takes it down before dawn, rarely leaving more than a trace. (He recycles; he eats the web and spins it again the next night.) So I've been going out at night with the flashlight to see if I could get a decent photo.
Everything is different in bug world after dark. The harvestmen are everywhere; so are tiny slugs. Chica and Fat Momma are on the prowl. The lauxaniid flies are sleeping.
And even with lights on them, the colours seem different. The flash is no good in this situation: it makes everything wash out. I tried my cheap-o flashlight.
The spider I came to see, by flashlight.
There are a couple of spotlights on all night; two spiders have intelligently spun webs right in front, where the moths congregate. Climbing on the table, I could get behind one of those webs; here it is, with the spider so close to the bulb that he glows.
I brought out my desk lamp again. It helped, but only when I could bring it in close to the subject. Here is the cross spider, with the lamp a couple of feet away.
Shadows become an integral part of the story:
One good shot of the cross spider, with the lamp a few inches away:
What else is out tonight? Imagine me, crouching over the ground and garden, IKEA desk lamp in one hand, camera in the other. Picture me down on all fours with my nose in the London Pride and the lamp propped on a sturdy leaf. Good thing no-one decided to go out for a midnight walk, or I'd be still explaining myself to the men in white coats.
This is what I found.
A boring, everyday woodbug, looking somehow silvery and sleek in the lamplight.
A harvestman with prey. When I got a smidgen closer, he took off in a great hurry, taking his booty with him.
And a pretty grub, unidentified as yet.
Cool stuff out there at night! The lamp/flash light gives it all a different look.
ReplyDeleteNice effect with the flashlight - I'll have to try that.
ReplyDeleteAs for the men in white coats - well, my hubby professes to be more worried that the boys in blue are going to show up to check out the weird lady with the binoculars running around the neighborhood.
Lynne; yes, cool stuff. It's surprising how much activity there is in a tightly circumscribed area (the semi-circle at the end of my extension cord).
ReplyDeleteWren; I would be more worried about men in blue, myself, if they showed up on my horizon.
That last photo looks to be some species of sawfly larva. I like shooting photos at night too. It's always neat to see what's out and about once the sun goes down.
ReplyDeleteBev;
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip. I had looked at so many larvae on Google and BugGuide that they were all blending together.
Now I have a narrower field, I may be able to find it.