Finally! Macro bug pictures, not the best, but macro bug pictures just the same................

[Kelley (Texas)]

This afternoon, our grandson, Brayden came over for a visit and decided to play with our dog on the patio deck that I had built. He was not out there more that a few minutes when he came charging into the house yelling that there was a spider on a web at the corner of the patio deck. We went out back to investigate, and sure enough, there was a tiny spider on a web at the corner of the patio deck. This was my chance to finally take a macro bug picture. While I was getting my camera, Brayden decided to get a pail of water and shoot the spider with a water gun. Unfortunately, he beat me to the spider and was trying to shoot it with the water gun by the time I returned with the camera. The first two pictures are of Brayden, the first as he was trying to shoot the spider and the second was when he retreated because the spider started moving around the web. It was at this time that I made my move to take the pictures of the spider. The wind was gently blowing the web around and it was slightly damaged from Brayden shooting it with the water gun. I had to really get close and must have taken about twenty five pictures when things turned bad. Royal always told me to take lots of pictures and then you hope that one or two will turn out OK. As I made mention, the wind was gently blowing, and moving the spider back and forth. I was snapping pictures as fast as the camera would reload when it happened...somehow I got tangled in the web. As I jerked back, the web came loose and got attached to the front of my shirt, my left camera hand, and my face. I saw that the spider was still on the web as it was attaching it's self to me. I handed the camera off to my wife as she came running by me heading for the back door, with Brayden and my Daughter-in-law right behind her. All that I knew was that the spider was on my body somewhere. I yanked my shirt off and as I was shaking it, the spider and a shirt button fell to the patio deck and I quickly smashed the spider dead. Brayden saw that the coast was clear and came back outside to see the dead spider, or rather what was left of the spider. He told me how glad he was that the spider had not bitten me. I thanked him for his concern and explained to him that his concern would mean more to me if he was not laughing. He then asked me if I would take a picture for him. He had found a dead locus attached to a leaf and wanted me to take a picture of it for him. I took the picture and it is posted at the bottom of this story.

Most of the pictures were not very good, but I will post three of the best ones. They are nowhere near the quality of the bug pictures posted by Royal, but they are a step in the right direction. Please take into account that I took these picture at great risk. Kelley (Texas)

Note: Brayden is now four years old and gets into lots of mischief.

[attachment 171107 SpiderMacroPhototwo.jpg]

[attachment 171108 SpiderMacroPhotofour.jpg]

[attachment 171109 SpiderMacroPhotoThree.jpg]

[attachment 171110 LocusMacroPhoto.jpg]

[attachment 171111 BraydenSpiderone.jpg]

[attachment 171112 BraydenSpidertwo.jpg]

 

[ojm bc]

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[Kelley (Texas)]

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[George-CT]

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[ojm bc]

I dug this type of toy gun the other month. It is identical to the little derringer, dug it up in one of the small blv grass strip next to sidewalk.

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

an old Windchester .22 single shot rifle, but he can not use it until he turns six years old. When he becomes six or seven, I will take him some place and teach him how to shoot it. Later on when I feel that he demostrates that he is a responsible person, I will turn the rifle over to his Dad (my Son) and he can determine when he can be trusted going out on his own with the rifle. I was turned loose at age nine and did lots of squirrel and rabbit hunting. Kelley (Texas)

 

[ojm bc]

guns and rifles, but being in the city they were just air guns, mainly for target shooting, never really owned a real gun or rifle, though when was a youngster me and a pal found a real rifle and gave it to my older friends, not sure then where it went, I was too young....cheers

 

[Micheal_R]

Up to mischief... but we love our grandsons all the more for it.. :

And you can say what you want........ but for me, those are great photos.

calm seas

Micheal

 

[Royal]

that is one strange looking spider you have there. Looks like it is wearing a helmet.

The boy is growing like a weed. Nice looking patio there buddy. Looks nice and warm

Nice Macro and amazingly, at that point, it was still alive

 

[Rob/Windsor Ont.]

Have never seen a spider that looks like that around these parts. Nasty looking little sucker. Great pick of the locust too. And a smart fella that little Brayden is Fred............returns after the coast is clear Seriously though Fred,.....you're getting good at these macro shots. And Brayden's mischievous ways remind me of somebody I know. My guess is he has a good teacher. He's a beautiful lil' kid Fred.

 

[Bayrat76]

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[LuckyDig]

Most spiders up in the Northwest dont bother me too much, we have a few large ones but nothing with that spiky helmet looking carapace. Thats one mean lookin spider. So ya did the "I can't see the spider but I know its on me" dance?

That Grandson of yours looks tall for a 4 year old, and trouble is what its all about at that age. Nice pictures you took there, now just remember..if you ever visit up in the northwest please shake out your clothes before heading up here...I dont want to walk into one of those when I am leaving for work in the morning

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

to shoot that spider with the water gun at the same time that I wanted to take the pictures and he beat me to the spider. One reason he retreated away from the spider (second picture) is that I told him that if the spider bit him, he would turn into a spider himself. He thought about it for a minute, then handed the water gun to his mother and asked her to get real close to the spider, then shoot it with the water gun. He wanted to see someone turn into a spider, but not him.

A few weeks ago, while he was playing out front with some neighbor kids, I thought I heard him say a cuss word, but thought about it for a minute and decided I just did not hear it right. No sir! A few minutes later I heard it again, and it was him saying it. I pulled him aside and asked him where he learned that word. He said that his mother used it one day when she dropped a glass of tea on the floor. I told him that he could not use that word or any cuss word until he was eighteen years old. I have not heard him use any more cuss words. I must admit that it was funny, but I could not tell him that. He is all boy and gets into the normal mischief that boys get into...I really love that little boy! Kelley (Texas)

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

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[Kelley (Texas)]

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[Kelley (Texas)]

It has not been easy for me, seems that something always happens...bad things! After yesterday, Brayden wants to go with me when I decide to take another bug picture, he said it was fun. He said that he can shoot the bugs with the water gun, then I can take the pictures of the bug. I guess he wants to pizz the bug off and then watch it do something to me!

That deck is 16 X 20 and has a built in seat the entire length of the far side. It took me almost two weeks to build. Kelley (Texas)

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

He is lots of fun and we enjoy him. Kelley (Texas)

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

I also wonder if it was poisonous. It was not very big, but it was aggressive and pizzed off after Brayden shot it with the water gun. Kelley (Texas)

 

[Cupajo]

Hi Fred,

Those are good pics in lighting, subject and detail................I don't know what more you could ask for unless you are in a studio!!

Your Grandson is sure growing fast!

My Gramma used to say about me,"Need to put a bucket of bricks on that boy's head or he is gonna get too tall!!"

I topped out at six feet, but over the years gravity and good living have taken their toll.

Here are a couple of shots of the spider I remember most when growing up in Texas........the yellow garden spider.

I remember some of those webs being 5 to 6 feet in diameter and how they would sparkle when the rising sun's rays hit the dew drops!

[attachment 171339 yellowgardenspider-2Large.gif]

[attachment 171340 yellowgardenspidersLarge.jpg]

I borrowed them from "the Web", no pun intended.

Of course the Tarantula and the Black Widow were very common too.

Keep those photos coming Friend,

CJ

 

[Wayne in BC]

you must have made many girls really angry when you were young, what with your penchant for messing with creepy crawlies
Of course your not teaching the grandkid that....right?
That is one weird Spider bud!