Chickadee Photo Art

Spider – Orb Weaver

// June 23rd, 2010 // No Comments » // Insects

Welcome back to my website & thanks for visiting !

So, in previous posts I mention that spiders are not exactly one of my favourites but admit they are interesting.  One thing for sure, they are all hairy.   This is another spider found in my garden area, pretty sure it is another orb weaver.  This spider  had a good size the body and was about 2.5 cm around ( 1″ for the non-metric crowd ). When I came too close to it the front legs went up in a defensive position.  I had no intention of getting that close !

Enjoy!

~Sharon

Banana Slugs

// February 27th, 2010 // No Comments » // Insects, Pacific Ocean & Vancouver Island

While driving up the eastern coast of Vancouver Island we came across these interesting slugs.  They were large enough that we noticed them from the car. Unfortunately it is hard to visualize their size through photos .These slugs are much different from the small and slimy garden variety slugs found where I live.   From what I can tell, they are Banana Slugs. Here are a few interesting facts about them:

• These slugs are hermaphroditic organisms, meaning that they contain both male and female reproductive organs.

• The Banana Slug can have up to 27,000 teeth on its long tongue.

• World’s Second Largest Slug

• Covered by a layer of slime that is used as a protective agent by numbing other organisms that pose a threat
• Color is directly affected by nutrition and amount of humidity
• Herbivores that are often considered pests by farmers but prefer to feed on mushrooms and serve as decomposers

Literature cited:  http://www.earlham.edu/~burksje/bananaslug.htm  accessed December 22/09

Enjoy!

Sharon

Orb Weaving Spiders

// November 25th, 2009 // No Comments » // Boreal Forest, Insects

Spiders that spin  webs  resembling wheels with spokes are known as Orb Weavers. The rounded web is anchored with silk strands – in a triangular shape – to reeds and grasses.  Below is a photo of the full web.  There were literally hundreds of these webs that were larger than dinner plates in a ditch just east of Winnipeg and likely the only reason that I noticed them was because it was early in the morning, they were heavy with dew and glistening in the morning sun. I think it is just amazing how these small sized spiders create such magnificant webs.  Most of the webs I looked at that morning had a spider at home in the centre waiting for breakfast to drop in.  Orb Weavers, like most spiders, are not considered harmful to humans and, in fact, are beneficial as they assist in insect control. I must admit that spiders are not at the top of my favourites lists but they really are fascinating little creatures.

Below:  A closer view of the Orb Weaver. This was was a pretty blue-green colour and its legs were a light shade of orange.  So far, all the spiders I have observed are “hairy”.

Below: Yet another Orb Weaver – this one found in my garden but not in the web.  It was referred to as a “cat face” on one website that I visited. I don’t see a resemblance but . . .

Enjoy!

Sharon