You may have seen this spider on the 13th when he posed for me on black glass. After the shoot, I released him outside on these flowers just below where I had found him, and got this one shot before he dove in and disappeared.

And that's a wrap! Thank you all for joining me on yet another month of arachnid exploration. I really appreciate all the appreciation.
❤️️️ ºooº ❤️

31 Arachtober 2024, 5 of 5

Phidippus mystaceus
Tellico Plains, TN • 13 October 2024

Tags:   60mmOMZD Arachnida Arthropods Rivendell Salticidae TN TellicoPlains animals e-m5III macro nature spiders Tennessee United States PA136740

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I haven't made one of these composites yet this year, so when I ran across multiple views of this dangling ghost spider and I couldn't pick, I decided it was time. It was tiny and pale and I just kept taking shots as it hung there in the Oregon Grape-holly, hoping to catch some detail that would let me know what it was. The belly shot does it for sure, with those blue-green markings. Typically I find these spiders tucked into a little retreat on the underside of a holly leaf, underside showing that distinctive design. It was unusual to find this one out and hanging around. I figured a pack of hanging ghosts was a good one for Halloween.

31 Arachtober 2024, 4 of 5

Ghost Spider, Wulfila albens
Alexandria, VA • 2 February 2024

Tags:   60mmOMZD Alexandria Arachnida Arkendale Arthropods OnBlack VA animals e-m5III macro nature spiders Virginia United States composite ghost spider Wulfila Wulfila albens

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That jar of beets on the top of the stack at the farmer’s market was clearly meant for me! As I took it down, this jumped off the lid to the floor, and I scrambled to pick it up. It’s been a while since I saw one of these, and I really wanted it for a photoshoot. I made it to the car and got it into a condiment cup and then safely home. This image is hot off the sensor!

31 Arachtober 2024, 3 of 5

Bold Jumper, Phidippus audax
Tellico Farmers Market, Tellico Plains, TN • 26 March 2024

Tags:   60mmOMZD Arachnida Arthropods Rivendell Salticidae TN TellicoPlains animals autumn e-m5III macro nature spiders Tennessee United States Bold Jumper Phidippus audax Phidippus onBlack PA317172

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Right after I moved into this house, I noticed a shape on the closet floor and thought "Oh no..."

Oh yes.
I am now living amongst scorpions. That one was already dead, thankfully, and my landlady has the exterminator come by quarterly. Normally I'm not into killing bugs, but this house is not tight, and if it weren't sprayed, I would be actually wading through a large variety of wasps, millipedes, centipedes, spiders, beetles, and scorpions. It's currently being invaded by Asian Lady Beetles, and I have to keep reminding myself to be glad it isn't the wasps or scorpions. I can't go barefoot in the dark because I stepped on a wasp one night. That hurt like heck and I'm not doing that again.

So there I was minding my own business when this comes marching proudly out into the big middle of the floor. Seriously?? Of course I captured it and took photos. Then I ordered an arachnid tank and kept it for a while, thinking that perhaps if I observed it I might get over this fear of them. I've never lived around them and don't know how they behave, but of course keeping one in a tank doesn't really help learn much about that. What I did learn was that it didn't like to be out in the open often and hid under rocks I put in there for it. It ate a small worm I found in the yard, but wouldn't eat anything after that, until finally I released it so it could go find whatever it might want to eat. I brought it waaaayyy out into the woods away from my house to let it go.

Later I found another dead one inside. I'm not sure how this one survived, or maybe the treatment was nearing its expiration.

31 Arachtober 2024, 2 of 5

Southern Devil Scorpion, Vaejovis carolinianus
a.k.a. Southern Unstriped Scorpion, but that doesn't sound as badass.
Tellico Plains, TN • 26 March 2024

Tags:   60mmOMZD Arachnida Arthropods OnBlack Rivendell TN TellicoPlains animals e-m5III macro nature scorpions P3260859 Vaejovis carolinianus Southern Devil Scorpion Southern Unstriped Scorpion

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Happy Halloween! 🎃 And welcome to the Arachtober finale.

I'll kick it off with this orbweaver I found on my dad's holly bushes in what struck me as a particularly creepy pose when my flashlight fell upon her there. Her pointed spiky legs appear poised to grab, though I don't think that's typically their way. Her sisters were out in the middles of a couple of very large webs I had to remember to keep avoiding, there in the dark, as I poked about the bushes, my attention focused on all the spiders there. Maybe she was the one whose web I dinged the previous night, not feeling up to more construction when that big galoot was out wandering again...

31 Arachtober 2024, 1 of 5

Spotted Orbweaver, Neoscona crucifera
Hixson, TN • 5 September 2024

Tags:   60mmOMZD Arachnida Arthropods Hixson TN animals e-m5III macro nature orbweaver spiders Tennessee United States P9055568 Spotted Orbweaver Neoscona crucifera Neoscona

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