Orb Weaver on Milk Weed
This beauty is a very shy, sweet girl!!
Orb Weaver
East Greenbush, N.Y.
August 2008
Generally, orb-weaving spiders are three-clawed builders of flat webs with sticky spiral capture silk. The building of a web is an engineering feat, begun when the spider floats a line on the wind to another surface. The spider secures the line and then drops another line from the center, making a “Y”. The rest of the scaffolding follows with many radii of non-sticky silk being constructed before a final spiral of sticky capture silk. The third claw is used to walk on the non-sticky part of the web. Characteristically, the prey insect that blunders into the sticky lines is stunned by a quick bite and then wrapped in silk. If the prey is a venomous insect, such as a wasp, wrapping may precede biting.(wiki)
Milkweeds are an important nectar source for bees and other nectar seeking insects, and a larval food source for monarch butterflies and their relatives, as well as a variety of other herbivorous insects (including numerous beetles, moths, and true bugs) specialized to feed on the plants despite their chemical defenses. Milkweed is named for its milky juice, which contains alkaloids, latex, and several other complex compounds including cardenolides. Some species are known to be toxic. (wiki)
Orb Weaver on Milk Weed belongs to the following groups:
Arachnids Available for sale asGreeting Cards and Matted Prints
Samantha Dean
You are a macro queen!! Wow!!
Marleia Main replied
Thank you so much photokarazy : )
Yool
Yes you are….fabulous macro!!!
Marleia Main replied
Thank you so much Yool : )
Jeannette Sheehy
is that the little fella from the carpark?
Marleia Main replied
No .. This is one I have never seen before .. Isn’t she gorgeous? : )
Jeannette Sheehy
hmmm…you know me, I don’t think I’d go THAT far…lol :)
Marleia Main replied
haha!
tuffcookie
Beautiful specimen of an orb weaver!!! well done
Marleia Main replied
Thank you very much!!
Nic Relton
Great detail, your majesty ;-)
Marleia Main replied
HaHa .. Very cute : ) : ) and Thank you!!
barnsis
You know when the macro monster master, Yool, agrees that you are a macro master you have truly arrived, you are in great company and for good reason. I Guess I will just go stick my head back in the sand since there is no way I can compete with you guys, Awesome, stunning, amazing and a whole bunch of other ing words.
Marleia Main replied
Wow!!! Thank you so much. You are too good to me : )
Christopher Bi...
eeeek!!!! damn, now i am going to favorite this!!!! and you know i dont like spideys! :)))...........cxx
Marleia Main replied
I saw an awesome (Mr Wincy) one on your page mister!! you secretly love them : ) : )
Christopher Bi...
:)))))))) eeek!
Pete Costick
Brilliant close up capture Marleila. You are currently the close-up/macro photographer who most impresses me.
Marleia Main replied
Wow .. Thank you so much Pete. I am honored!! : ) : ) : )
SandraRos
Woooow this is great ! Such and impressive macro
Marleia Main replied
Thank you so very much Sandra : )
Cornelia Togea
amazing creature, gorgeous macro!
Marleia Main replied
Thank you Photolia: ) I appreciate the comment : ))))
eseffpe
thats incredible !!!!
Marleia Main replied
Thank you so much eseffpe : )
Jared D White
Fantastic! I’m jealous!
Marleia Main replied
Oh .. Thank you so much Jared!! : ))
evilpigeon
i’m stupidly scared of spiders but i love this photo it makes me actually want to stroke it lol
Marleia Main replied
Oh Thank you!! That is the sweetest compliment!!!
melant1017
You have to be one of the best at macro photography :) OUTSTANDING PHOTO!!!
-Antonio
Marleia Main replied
hello Antonio : )) Thank you so very much mister!! I totally missed the wonderful comment!! : )))))))))))
Babbler
fantastic !
Marleia Main replied
Hello .. Thank you so much for your comment!! : ))
Matthew Scotland
AMAZING, the comments say it all, at first i thought what an unusual golf tee – i sure hope a golfer doesnt spot her and take a swing
Marleia Main replied
No worries .. She is protected at a local wildlife reserve. I put her there. No golfers lol .. She hides in a curled up Milk Weed Leaf by a little pond and I stop by to visit her from time to time. Thank you so much Matthew : ))
SylviaHardy
She certainly is a beauty and it is so lovely to be so close to nature as you are!
Marleia Main replied
Okay .. She is my all time fav girl : )) I visit her often in her rolled up milkweed leaf .. Such a shy, sweet girl!! Thank you sylvia
CarolM
I can even see the strands of web on the leaf and the tiny hairs on his legs and body-WOW. National Geographic needs you. Great work.
Marleia Main replied
Wow .. Thank you so much!! What a lovely comment : ))