ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Saturday 20 June 2015

SHE IS A CLEVER GIRL. (20/06/15)

I found a new batch of the fungus from yesterday. I only found one new one not quite a batch but welcome nonetheless.

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This is it first thing this morning. I thought it was a Pleated Inkcap but it isn’t as it goes all runny and it is much too dark and heavy looking. It deliquesces in a few hours so if the rain holds off I will try for a time lapse video tomorrow morning, I bet it doesn’t do it tomorrow.

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This is lit with the twin ring strobe from the front and a very dirty softbox from behind. Dirty because I’ve been using it for fungi for three years. I’ll try giving it a wash.

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It’s quite spectacular if a little slow.

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Here it is dripping ink. I think it is Coprinellus angulatus. The stalk should be white, the black bit is where the wind blew some ink.

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I think this is a Rove Beetle , It is very attractive and has red eyes. It was also very lively and kept dodging round the wrong side of the grass. I was looking for what I think is a Long Horn Beetle which looks as if it has two tiny ping pong balls on the end of it’s antennae. I couldn’t find it and the grass was a bit damp to sit in for more than a few minutes.

Here is the star of the show.

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A female Grass Spider; Tibellus oblongus with her egg sack. I had to lift her out of the grass as she kept trying to hide. I popped her on a stone.

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She is a clever girl and eventually posed nicely. She is now back on her web and I’ll keep an eye out for hundreds of little ones.

That’s all for today.

32 comments:

  1. Nature's awesome. Hugs to Mol and Alf

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  2. Love the spider pics. What a sack of eggs!

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    1. John, it always amazes me that they can move so fast with them.

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  3. The Grass Spider is fantastic I swear them eyes on the last image are looking straight at you

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    1. Douglas I don't think she was best pleased.

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  4. Fascinating gooey fungus Adrian.
    And what a big egg sack that spider has. Love that last shot.

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    1. Keith, I should have thought of time lapseing it before but didn't realise how fast it disappeared.
      I was lucky to find the spider as it was under Lady's Mantle Leaf.

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  5. The spider is superb, and a mushie, love 'em.

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    1. Bob, she is a monster but very pretty.

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  6. A bit of time lapse should be interesting. Another grand spider.

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    1. Yes it may come off. I watered the area where they grow and will get up at dawn. I hope that one grows and that the rain holds off. I don't like using strobes in the wet.
      The spider is a beauty.

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  7. That spider's a beauty, Adrian. I hadn't realised that they had such large egg sacks.

    Best wishes - - - Richard

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    1. Richard, they are quite a big spider but difficult to spot unless they move. I think that egg sack is about normal for grass spiders but it's a few years since I've seen one.

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  8. You are wizard of worlds and wonders!




    ALOHA
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^=

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    1. Cloudia, I just wish I didn't have so much trouble knowing what I've taken a picture of.

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  9. Good photography but not pretty photography.

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    1. Graham, the subject matter was a little grim today. Though I find spiders attractive.

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  10. some fungus change very rapidly and you did a super job to catch it. Amazing egg sacs. I've seen some here when I'm lucky.

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    1. Red, I suspect spider egg sacks are a study all on their own. I'd love to find some hatchlings.

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  11. That fungus really is cool.

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    1. Pauline it is. It's supposed to be common but as it appears and disappears so fast I suspect it is rarely seen.

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  12. Wouldn't it be good if mother nature supplied everything with an attached number, or bar code, to help us 'old duffers' to identify things?...life would be so much easier, but maybe not as interesting, I guess?

    Going on the appearance of the stem, and where it's growing, I think I'll stick with my original guess as to the fungi ID.

    ID's aside, you've got another super set of images..the last one of 'angry spider' is a cracker.

    Looking forward to that time lapse!..[;o)

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    1. Trevor, even better if I was allowed to call things what I like. It was easy for Darwin and his Ilk.
      I found a perfect match but it didn't deliquesce so it wasn't one of those.
      I was out at 0330h this morning and no fungus has grown. I'd even had a dummy run to shelter everything under a poncho. I met some guests whilst rigging the tent contraption over a round bale. It was an hour later when they sent their little boy round to ask why I was putting a tent over and old bale.

      I suspect you are correct with the ID. It is not the same colour as any photos I've found of Snowy Inkcap but then fungi are notorious for being variable in hue. It may be back tomorrow. I'll keep checking.

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  13. HI Adrian The fungi shots are fabulous. Not I am not surprised the Spider was angry, who (but you) would think of lifting a pregant woman and taking her frm a cosy position up onto a hard stone!!!! Anyhow the shots are fantastic.

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  14. Margaret, I know.
    She has done the pregnancy bit. She is just guarding hundreds of babies. I am or try to be compassionate. it works and it's why I detest ringing wee birds. I let her crawl onto me. I do put my hand in her way. But not a bloody great net. Nor did I dream of popping a ring on her and worst still crowing about it.
    I
    Margaret I think we will have to go our separate ways.

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