Tegenaria, Opilione, and a water loving Globular Springtail

[Paul]

Three different images tonight from the darkness of the garden.

 

Exif on all is 1/250th @ ISO 125, f10.

 

First up is the spider, Tegenaria sp. (probably gigantea). She was stood on the wall of the outhouse and on spotting her (that was so obviously the easy bit!) I went back indoors to get the camera. One tube used on this:

 

Second up is the harvestman - a youngster this one - short legs compared to what I usually find in the garden. Three tubes used to get in here:

 

Last up and best find probably of the look around in the depths of night, is on a leaf in the pond. This is a water-borne springtail, this collembola is I believe Sminthurides malmgreni. I have cropped it in for the last image too, though it didn't look so good compared to the uncropped version truth be told - but it gives you a some idea of the markings. Three tubes also used for the globular springtail:

 

 

 

Paul.

[NannyFerret]

They are lovely shots, and as usual, very interesting to see and read about them.

[kev7d]

Very nice. That little bug is almost cute. You continue to motivate me to give bugs a go. :)

[Paul]

They are lovely shots, and as usual, very interesting to see and read about them.

 

 

Very nice. That little bug is almost cute. You continue to motivate me to give bugs a go.

 

 

Thank you both  

 

Paul.

[colinb]

Paul super pictures and I'm sorry to be a pain but it would help me if you could say 'what tube' and when you say 3 tubes is that 12,20,30mm ?

[Paul]

Not a problem to elucidate Coiln.

 

If I use one tube, then its my 21mm extension tube.

 

My others are 12mm and 31mm, which when combined with the 21mm gives me the largest maximum increase in size. 3 used also means the narrowest depth of field and the greatest loss of light.

 

Paul.

[colinb]

Cheers Paul - incidentally I bought a set of extension tubes, I think it was you who recommended a set, posted my first spider pic up the the October comp http://www.tipf.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7951. I stunned or killed this one while cleaner the kitchen window so it was a good subject to practice on. How do you get on with these live spiders, seems to me they all shoot off as soon as I get anywhere near??

[Paul]

Most spiders tend not to go anywhere once they have settled down. If it's one of the orb weavers, wait for them to sit in the middle of the web, or at the extreme of one of it's strands. They do "wait" until they feel a movement on a sticky strand. If it's a house spider, they will stay in one place for hours sometimes - but they tend to be in the most awkward places (usually high up).

 

As with many insects, you have to sneak up slowly - start with the lens a good ten inches away and slow move it forward until you get it where you want in your viewfinder.

 

Flies are skittish - they buzz off regularly but often return to a similar area as where they first landed.

 

 

It's all practice, and stealth. And a lot of patience, plus even more failures!

 

Keep at it and in time, they will come good.

 

 

Just looked at the thread - the white makes it worse than it really could be - a coloured background would have made the job a lot simpler. If it is dead, put it on a leaf or even a piece of a house brick.

 

 

Pauk.