A bespidered bush sunflower head
Do you remember the bush sunflower, Simsia calva, that you saw from June 13th along Great Northern Blvd.? During that session, while photographing a still-green bush sunflower head in front of a fully open one, I noticed that the one in the foreground was serving as home to a small spider. (Did you know that spider means essentially ‘spinner’?)
© 2014 Steven Schwartzman
What sharp eyes you have!
Gallivanta
July 12, 2014 at 6:21 AM
“The better to see things with,” said the wolf, who had disguised himself as a photographer.
Steve Schwartzman
July 12, 2014 at 6:38 AM
Indeed.
Gallivanta
July 12, 2014 at 7:48 AM
Nice!
anomadlife
July 12, 2014 at 8:01 AM
Thank you. (I’m sorry for the late reply but WordPress mistakenly put your comment and one other in the spam folder.)
Steve Schwartzman
July 21, 2014 at 8:57 AM
I wonder if the spider felt beleaguered by your presence? Perhaps it was more interested in monitoring all that silk, which surely betokened a good meal later in the day.
shoreacres
July 12, 2014 at 8:47 AM
I’ve noticed that most spiders I encounter on a flower head will stay on it as I move in close for pictures. If they’re bothered enough they move to a different part of the flower head, but I find it rare that one will jump off and try to get away. I don’t know how many of the ones that bail out eventually come back after I’ve left. I imagine arachnologists have studied that kind of thing, but I’ve never tried to find any studies along those lines.
Steve Schwartzman
July 12, 2014 at 10:18 AM
It’s always interesting to see where the spiders lay in wait and the different webs they conceive. The wet meadow I visited this morning had many…orbs and sheet. Some roll leaves to hide in overnight. Cool stuff.
Steve Gingold
July 12, 2014 at 4:39 PM
I often find a spider staking out a composite flower head, whether camouflaged against it or not. I hope you got some good pictures of webs in the wet meadow this morning. That’s another advantage you have in going out at or before the crack of dawn: the early bird gets the wet web.
Steve Schwartzman
July 12, 2014 at 4:48 PM
Sorry to disappoint, Steve. Despite their numbers I did not shoot webs today. Hopefully, what I did shoot will make up for it.
Steve Gingold
July 12, 2014 at 5:07 PM
Sounds like you got something that pleased you, and that’s the important thing.
Steve Schwartzman
July 12, 2014 at 5:09 PM
Incredible
sedge808
July 12, 2014 at 9:57 PM
Thank you. (I’m sorry for the late reply but WordPress mistakenly put your comment in the spam folder.)
Steve Schwartzman
July 21, 2014 at 8:56 AM
A delightful crunchy bunchy feel to this image!
composerinthegarden
July 13, 2014 at 10:32 AM
I don’t think you’ll be surprised to hear that you’re the first person ever to describe one of my photographs as having a delightful crunch bunchy feeling. The picture and the sunflower and I thank you for your novel description.
Steve Schwartzman
July 13, 2014 at 10:50 AM
🙂
composerinthegarden
July 13, 2014 at 10:51 AM
I left out the spider because I’m not sure it would thank you. It might be nervous that a predator would find it all too crunchy munchy.
Steve Schwartzman
July 13, 2014 at 10:55 AM
Oh but I love spiders – they are so important to the garden. I just filmed one riding its lovely web in the wind. I’ll post it soon.
composerinthegarden
July 13, 2014 at 10:57 AM
Yes, please do.
Steve Schwartzman
July 13, 2014 at 11:09 AM