The Nature Photography Thread

[kibakiba]

Gross. I'd hate living there, honestly. I couldn't stand living anywhere near spiders like that. Where my boyfriend lives there doesn't seem to be many spiders. Some spiders pop up in his house every once in a while but he's never scared of them. He's brave enough to smash them with his thumb... I have to smash them with something because it's just so gross... And scary.

[Selkielass]

I've seen that done, it's amazing! Honeybees fascinate me; I'd love to be a bee keeper. Except I think paralyzing fear is prohibitive in most things!

Yeah, that can be a game breaker, especially with bees as they operate on pheromones, and the scent of fear and stress can actually cause them to become more jumpy and defensive. A really good bee suit can help a beginner feel safe enough to get started and begin to lose their fear, and once you have a few stings under your belt, and begin to gain immunity it gets a lot easier to 'lose the suit' for all but the most in-depth manipulations. Bee stings still hurt, but I seldom swell up much and I have little itching to deal with.

[Mommy2many]

When I lived in Boston, spiders were a nusance.

Here... in Florida,

Spiders aren't so neatly defined. Spiders are garments, they're cowboy neckties. Spiders are garters on a thigh... they are substantial, agressive. They are 3 inch across. They watch one another -- and you. They grow larger as the season progresss, establish territory, strengthen. Their webs become tensile like the strings on a tennis racket. They easily catch the light and become wide when the sun captures them. The spiders in this place intimidate you. When you walk to you car during dusk, you are sure to wave a stick in front of youself to make sure you don't walk in front of their webs.

The size of spiders is a game changer.

black and yellow garden spider

Golden Silk Spider [Nephila clavipes]

Ok, another very good reason to live in the North East, where it snows and we have temps that go below ZERO

[ConcinusMan]

black and yellow garden spider

Golden Silk Spider [Nephila clavipes]

We have both of those here where I live. They never come into houses and they are nice enough to intentionally let you know where there web is so you don't get a face full of it while you're out walking.

That spider I showed in my house always stays right there and doesn't bother anyone. From the looks of all the debris in it's web, I'd say I'd rather have the spider than all the bugs it has killed.

[CelestiHel]

When I lived in Boston, spiders were a nusance.

black and yellow garden spider

That is my absolute favorite spider. I took pictures of the one living in my tomato plant. I'll post them if they turn out.

[stonyloam]

Had a bumper crop of milkweed this year, and lots of monarch caterpillars, so couldn’t help myself, picked a few to watch. Almost the end of the season, only 2 left. This one hatched this morning. Pretty nice!

[guidofatherof5]

Awesome, Terry.
Monarchs are always fun. We didn't have any this year but in the years past the kids would find the caterpillars and, well you know the rest of the story.

[Dragonbeards]

I remember doing that in second grade. Haven't done it since, but it was always fun. Love seeing the butterflies, then releasing them.

[CelestiHel]

I can never find them! I have a field FULL of milkweed and every year nothing, and then butterflied everywhere! I'll get to do it someday! They look lovely!

[ConcinusMan]

Sadly, I don't see monarchs very often, if at all, in western WA or Oregon. We have a smaller similar black and orange butterfly though. "Painted ladies" I believe they're called. Our largest and most spectacular butterfly would have to be swallowtails. Very common and very big and beautiful, like monarchs.