A magpie is a black and white bird. Right? Wrong! Well wrong in this case when it turns out to be Abraxas grossulariata, otherwise known as The Magpie moth. I saw this one while out in the garden this evening. It settled, and I was amazed at the colourful display which seems so wasted on a night flyer.
Seeing the moth got me looking further and next on the list of small creatures was a grasshopper.
The strangest creature of all though was the next one, which comes with a standard spider alert :bug::bug: It's a nursery web spider, but it took me ages to figure out what was actually going on. It appeared to be perched on a large (comparatively speaking) stone. In fact, she's carrying a cocoon she creates around her egg sac and carries about with her until she creates a nursery web for the young to hatch into.
For those keen on spiders, there are more shots of her in the Arachnids album.
On other fronts, the young gulls were sleepy today. I couldn't see the 'lower deck' chick this morning. It's situated on a part of the roof which is 40% obscured from my vantage point. But it was there at lunchtime, sheltering from the sun.
Other sightings today included a mistle thrush, and a pair of kestrels out hunting, including one which seemed to have had some success.
Camera note: the moth, grasshopper and spider were photographed with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens. The gull chick was captured with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
24 Comments
Scary spider……………………………………………….:bug:
It is a beautiful moth! And it does seem like the beautiful colors are wasted on something that is active in the night.
I think your spider lady there should hurry with that nursery – it looks like an awkward thing to carry around!
Beautiful Magpie moth catch! Ahhh … one of the baby gulls sitting in the shade. Nice entry today! :up:
lovely pictures,
unusual spider :yes:
:up:
Cool looking moth and excellent photo too!
At least your butterflies wait for you; when I try to photograph them it ends up like with ants – me chasing them 😆
Jane at Urban Extension writes:
Especially love the spider pictures, absolutely fascinating. I've been watching the wolf spiders in my garden who carry there egg sack on their back. Can't wait to see the spiderlings, which all ride on her back once they hatch.
Great shots from the invertebrate world! Those moths are beautiful, and their colouration is curious, unless it helps them hide during the day?
Jane, the spider was a real treat but I've lost track of her in the plant life. Good luck with your wolf spider :up:
Darko, patience! You have to wait for them to come to rest. Eventually you can anticipate where they will land 😉
Adele, yes the colouring is odd but it makes it easy to identify. Most moths look pretty much the same to me, and there are just so many of them (about 2400 types in the UK). This looks like a good site to check out UK Moths.
ZT, aww she's tiny, not scary at all :bug: 😀
Andy, thanks! The moth was a new one on me.
Cynthia, thanks. I think the gull quite likes it down there. It's a really nice safe spot for him, but the other young one gets a nest to itself.
Ah, thanks. I've bookmarked it as I find moth ID to be often challenging too :insane:
Angeliki, thanks! I was pleased to spot the spider carry the eggs. I've seen nursery webs before, but not in that stage.
Vulpes, :cheers:
Lois, yes I was surprised at how colourful the moth is. Apparently quite common (and there were more in the garden tonight now I know what to look out for). I haven't spotted the spider again (yet).
Such a nice work! I like the last pix. Little bird makes me feel something cold, sad and isolated.
:up: :lol::lol:
Thanks Qua Con! It does look lonely there, but it's quite safe 🙂
Nice range of subjects, all posts look automatically better if you have a spider included [;)]. Good to see the macro lens isn't being forgotten. 🙂
LOL, I have to admit to having grown to really like the more mobile garden spiders.