Come Into My Parlor...

[Speed]

Said the spider to the fly.

I was stunned to this in the spider web. I found it hard to believe that the web held this sucker! When it hit the web, the spider ran to the top of the web. When it saw dinner, it crawled back down to investigate. The "fly" got real agitated when the spider got close, and the spider backed off 6 or 8 inches. Then the spider ran in on it, latched on and held on for a ride wilder than any rodeo. After several seconds, the spider backed off and waited for the poison to take effect. There wasn't a struggle when the spider went in to feed.

The first shot shows the spider feeding. The second shows how much webbing was destroyed and wrapped around dinner. The third shot is a closer view of the spider feeding, and the last shot I took just for comparison of the prey to the predator.

[OBie]

Great shots Speed. Nice DOF. When I was lucky enough to see a HUGE beetle fly into a web while observing it a few weeks ago, I was so excited to be taking photos of the spider injecting it, wrapping it, etc., that I completely lost focus (haha!) and didn't even think of DOF. Hence, only a small part of the spider ended up clear. The bug is always blurry. Rats.
Nice shots.

[Jaedon]

Ciccada (sp) are such awesome bugs to see get eaten lol.
Or is it a huge roach of some kind?

Great pics. Lets the observer see exatly what you saw and enjoy (or cringe) right along with you.

[Copy_Kot]

Great pictures and Jaedon is correct, it's a cicada.

[Speed]

Originally Posted by OBie

Great shots Speed. Nice DOF. When I was lucky enough to see a HUGE beetle fly into a web while observing it a few weeks ago, I was so excited to be taking photos of the spider injecting it, wrapping it, etc., that I completely lost focus (haha!) and didn't even think of DOF. Hence, only a small part of the spider ended up clear. The bug is always blurry. Rats.
Nice shots.

I can relate. I was cutting some wood, and heard the commotion about five feet away from me. Apparently, what I heard was the cicadia when it hit the web. I watched the spider attack it's prey, and then went and got my camera. By then, all the action was over, but I took some shots anyway. At least I got to work my macro lens some.

[Speed]

Originally Posted by Jaedon

Ciccada (sp) are such awesome bugs to see get eaten lol.
Or is it a huge roach of some kind?

Great pics. Lets the observer see exatly what you saw and enjoy (or cringe) right along with you.

Cicadia! I couldn't think of the name. It amazed me that it couldn't get out of the spider's web. And it was almost funny watching the spider attack something six times bigger than it!

"Lets the observer see exatly what you saw and enjoy (or cringe) right along with you."

At the time, I thought these were cool shots. Looking at them on the computer, I think UGH! I can handle snakes and lizards, but I don't much care for spiders.

;-)

[Speed]

Originally Posted by Copy_Kot

Great pictures and Jaedon is correct, it's a cicada.

Thanks Copy Kot. I was drawing a blank on the name.

Glad you liked the photo's.

[Alison]

Superb photography Speed! Congratulations on your featured photo! WTG!

[Knight]

Great series Speed and Congrats on the featured photo

[Speed]

Originally Posted by Alison

Superb photography Speed! Congratulations on your featured photo! WTG!

Thank you Alison!

It was a big thrill seeing my photo as the featured photo. I was stunned to see it, and VERY excited.

Best of all, my spider was outside! Your spider shot was cool, but I don't like spiders in my house.

;-)

[Speed]

Originally Posted by Knight

Great series Speed and Congrats on the featured photo

Thank you Knight.

I'm tickled to be the featured photo. I was amazed to see it there, and it's a big thrill.

Have a great day buddy!