Killy Birder: Spiders and 'Flies

Sunday, 19 August 2018

Spiders and 'Flies

Having struggled to get half way through the New Naturalists Slugs and Snails, it’s quite a slog, as I was reading about the sex lives of snails my eye was taken to some action in the garden. For some time now, during the dry weather there has been a very large and finely built spiders web not far from the window and the action was taking place there. I initially thought that the (garden) spider was attempting to eat some captured prey, but it turned out to be some courtship manoeuvring going on. I was able to get a front seat view of this without any apparent disturbance of the pair of spiders who both seemed to have other things on their mind. It did take me a while to grasp what was going on, in fact as the female appeared curled up tightly in the web I did think on first looking that this was dead prey.

Garden Spider Embrace!

Having watched for a few minutes I noticed that the male was approaching along the web, what turned out to be the female. After much stretching and leg movement towards the female the male would then back off and disappear. This happened at least three times before he eventually made a more ardent approach and appeared to stroke the female with two legs whilst holding the web with at least two legs. The male then made a grab for the female and they formed a curled ball like coupling for at least 20 seconds. I watched the process take place three times and in each case it ended with the same coupling after which the male would quickly disappear for a short time along the strands of the web. It was all very interesting to watch in close-up and certainly more interesting than the book, a book I would only recommend if you’re really keen on Slugs and Snails and have at least some basic knowledge of them. As I say, the read is quite a slog and I never did complete my reading of the entire book.

Male courts female

Female awaits her mate

My attempts at macro photography failed for the most part on this occasion and I blame light, lots of movement and lack of photographic skill on my behalf, but I will include a couple of images to give an idea of the event.

Painted Lady Butterfly

It’s been a good season for Butterflies and once again I have had Holly Blues in the garden, as I have over the past few years. This time over a course of a few weeks. I’m assuming possibly laying eggs on the Holly Trees although I need to do some reading up again on this species. Being very flighty when ever approached I gave up causing disturbance but did on one or two occasions get an excellent sighting. The images of Butterflies I include here are of more common species but no less worthwhile for that. Also in the garden. I did notice this year I had a Ringlet in the garden which I have never recorded before.

Peacock Butterfly

My birding time has been very limited recently, but I have managed a couple of visits to a very dry Druridge Bay. Little owl provided a good sighting once again. The dry weather seems to have helped in earlier weeks to provide a very special botanical display.