www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thanks Neil and Wurzel, glad you like the Ladybird photo.

All the best,

Nick.

Chiddingfold Wood, 1.5.2012
So here is another Ladybird.

Chiddingfold Wood, 1.5.2012
Dingy Skipper on dead Hardheads.

For a little brown job that's a damn good photo

Thanks Susie, it was lovely to meet you the other day, [Mon.].

All the best.

Nick.

Chiddingfold Wood, 5.5.2012

Spider, Agalenatea Redii

The adult males body of this species is 5mm in length, while the females body is larger at 7-8mm. The colour of any individual can vary from light to dark brown , to a yellowish-orange. They normally show a dark longitudinal band in the centre of the abdomen, with some trasversal bands. the body is hairy, and can be found to have two large white spots or one dark brown, light edged spot on the back. The abdomen [opisthosoma] is rather flat and wider than it is long.

This species is thermophilic and prefers open areas, habitats such as sandy and arid grasslands, sunny woodland edges, etc., and is very common in the south of England. The adults can be found from late spring to mid-summer, [April-June]. They inhabit dead flowers, weaving their webs between dead Herbaceous plant stems, with its retreat on a dead flower head as dipicted in the photo below.Female Agalenatea Redii.
I was looking for Dingy and Grizzled Skippers roosting on the Hardheads, but all i came across were these spiders, quite a lot of them infact.Then by chance i came across the following action caught on camera when a female A.R. spider unwittingly moved in on a males territory. The male is the brown spider, female the yellow- brownish one.The male pounces in a flash, before the female can respond, wrapping its silk thread around the female.The female fighting back with all her strength, breaks free of the silken thread, but the male clings on to her....

Hi Nick,

My knowledge of spiders is limited but what I do know is that this is a super set of shots, full of action, detail and suspense.

Absolutely great work.

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

Spider Agalenatea Redii, continued.
....and tightening his grip on, her he tries to pull the two of them over and onto the plant stem, gripping the silk thread with a tiny claw on the end of his leg.After a long struggle the male manages to reach the stem.
Throughout the encounter the male has been feeding from a gaping wound he inflicted on her from the start.Although the female is badly wounded and weak, she tries to make a final attempt for freedom,but he reaches down with his long front legspulling her back towards him,exhausted, she loses her grip from the stem...

And! And! What happens next?!!!!!!! (although I guess the outcome won't be a pleasant one)

Sorry Susie, but i am going to leave it hanging in the balance.

By the way Susie, i have a photo of a Dingy Skipper that i actually like, maybe its because its a female.

All the best,

Nick.

Fair enough. The best stories are ones where you can use your own imagination. That was a cracking series of images.

The usual story re. spiders is of the female eating the male after mating. This chap seems to have got his blow in first, for once!

Mike

Thankyou Mark and Susie for your very kind remarks on my spider photos, much appreciated.

Mike,it certaintly makes a change does it not, that the male got in there first, maybe he saw the danger signs, and pounced before the female could react.

All the best,

Nick

MikeOxon wrote:The usual story re. spiders is of the female eating the male after mating. This chap seems to have got his blow in first, for once!

Mike

Gay spiders!

Chiddingfold Wood, 7th May 2012

Absolutely cracking shot of the Dingy Skipper - another "pose" to add to my "shots I need to get" list!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Wurzel,

Thankyou for your very kind comment on my D.S. photo.

All the best,

Nick.

Chiddingfold Wood 7th May 2012

Chiddingfold Wood 11 May 2012

Chiddingfold Wood, 11 May 2012I was really chuffed to find this Adder, as its the first black Adder i have ever seen.