A Web Weavers Nursery

[Walter Piorkowski]

Upper image: Scale of frame- 10.2mm horizontal
Canon 10D
Canon 35mm f.l. lens @ f/5.6 on extension tube.
Series of 74 images at .0025 inch increments
Diffused illumination
Combine ZM, Photoshop

Lower image: Scale of frame- 3mm horizontal
Canon 10D
Canon 20mm f.l. lens @ f/3.5 on extension tube.
Series of 103 images at .001 inch increments
Diffused illumination
Combine ZM, Photoshop

This was a challenging project that was made more difficult by the fiber optic fan creating low frequency oscillations in the web supported subject. It had to be ditched for a harsher uncooled light source. The upper image has mother holding her brood in her jaws. In the lower image can be seen the curled up legs of the little ones and I believe in the upper left a set of possibly red eyes in progress.

Walt

[rjlittlefield]

Wow -- another eye-popper for sure!

I think you caught these little tykes in the process of hatching. In the lower picture, notice that the ones with visible legs seem to be covered with a translucent membrane that has fractured, and the much shinier little ones are protruding through the gaps.

Did they finish hatching shortly after this, or (perhaps!) did the photographic experience affect their emergence?

--Rik

[beetleman]

Excellent photos Walt. Something you don`t usually at all in photos. very strange and alien looking. They look very immature to be hatching

[Ken Ramos]

Reminds me of the movie "Arachniphobia," where the guy found all those spiders in the attic. Look out for the "General."

[Walter Piorkowski]

Thanks guys. And Rik I released every one back to nature after the shoot. My wife doens't like the idea of all the little ones in the house.

Walt