Invertebrate life must have taken a bit of pounding during the recent rains and flooding – anything that couldn’t fly or crawl to a dry refuge quickly enough would presumably have met a premature and soggy end. With this in mind it was heart-warming to see the evidence of one uninterrupted life-cycle within the nettle patch just outside the back garden gate. I’m not talking about the hungry mosquitos that enthusiastically greet us whenever we pass by, but this scenario of maternal vigilance as a Nursery Web Spider stood guard over her recently hatched eggs.
She would have carried the pea-sized egg cocoon beneath her for some time before building a silken tent around it among the foliage. Here she watched over her little bundles of joy until they dispersed into the big wide world, and a mozzie probed through my trousers into my right knee as I peered through the leaves. This family had the good fortune to be dwelling well above the flood level – let’s hope that plenty more processes of renewal are unfolding out there on the reserves despite the grotty weather, and that the populations of spineless wonders haven’t been hit too hard.
Great stuff fella. As a macro photographer you sir stand alone, (amongst my friends). Magic picture.