September stunner

This morning Eric called me over to point out a nice-looking spider web lit up by the sun in the backyard.  It was a special one.  Here are a few of the highlights:

 

 

 

 

Ladder of color

This morning, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a beautiful spider web in our backyard.  I ran out to take a few photos before leaving for work, but tonight I'm having trouble deciding which photo I like best.  So, here's a spider silk series from 24 July 2019.

The first two images show the same strands, just from slightly (very slightly) different angles.  By comparing them, you can see how small adjustments can change how the colors appear:

 

 

The next three images are the same "color ladder" running up the web, but framed differently, with more or less of the web showing around the lit up strands.  See what you think!

 

 

 

Morning silk

I wandered into the backyard again this morning to look for spider web strands.  Below are a few close-ups from 29 June 2019.

Strand with satellite:

 

A colorful intersection:

 

Most of the time when I photograph spider web silk, the color order seems random.  However, this morning I captured one strand with colors that were very close to being in "rainbow order" — that is, the colors were almost displayed in the same order you'd expect in a rainbow (starting from the right and running to the left) = red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet: 

 

Around the corner

Earlier this month, Eric looked out the window to see an enormous spider web high in a maple tree in our backyard: 

 

I went out to take a closer look.  

There were wonderful "waves" in the lower part of the web:

 

And a dazzling, beaded pattern in the center:

 

 One more radiating perspective:

 

Halloween is around the corner...

Pastels

You might remember when I was photographing colors in spider webs last summer (see posts from 17 July 2017 and 31 July 2017 for examples).

I walked around the backyard yesterday (30 March 2018) and found a few colorful strands, including one with some of the pastel colors I often associate with Easter.  This spider web was built along an old fence.  I found the resulting photo somewhat reminiscent of a paper collage:

 

Black-tailed Jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) have been uncommon on Bodega Head for years now.  But here's a fun look back at an older Easter-related post called "Special delivery" from 7 April 2012.

 

Happy Easter!  Happy Passover!  Happy Blue Moon!  Happy April Fools' Day!  (Happy Birthday, Jen!)

 

The thread continues

 

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I might not be sharing photographs of spider web threads for a while (see "Shifting sun" post from 31 July 2017).  However, I searched a different spot in the backyard this morning and I found a nice orb web with the sun hitting it just right in a few places.

 

 

I continue to puzzle over these dramatic colors.  And I've been wondering — as the angle of the sun shifts with the seasons, will the colors in the spider web strands change? 

Perhaps not, but it will be fun to explore.

Celebration of light

Tonight's post will start with some mystery close-ups.  More clues will be available as you progress through the images.  Can guess what this is?

 

A similar image, zoomed out a little farther:

 

Here's a similar pairing, but from a slightly different angle.  Notice that each long band is made up of many fine, colored stripes.  (Click on the images for larger and sharper versions.  These pictures are pretty mind-boggling!)

 

 

And now I'll zoom out a little farther.  Do you have a guess yet?  

Eric spotted this in our backyard this morning.  The photos were taken with my camera just before we left for work.

 

Are you ready?  The next photo will reveal the answer!

 

Yes!  This a spider web, one section of which was lit up in a very special way. 

Eric was brushing his teeth and looked out the window to see this spider web partly lit by the morning sun.  He rushed me out the back door to take a few pictures before we had to leave.  I struggled with the camera settings, and I didn't really know if any of the pictures had come out.  When I reviewed them later in the day, I was blown away to see the dazzling colors revealed in some of the close-ups.

 

To learn more about what produces the colors, I did a Web search, followed some threads, and found a few sites that describe optical effects in spider webs.  I'll admit that the physics behind this phenomenon are over my head.  However, it was interesting to note that some of the resulting colors are related to the structure of the sticky strands in parallel rows between the radial lines (or spokes) of the web.  These cylindrical silk threads are coated with adhesive droplets.  The droplets apparently act like miniature lenses!

I'll show one more picture, and will also explain one thing you might be wondering about.  I took these pictures with a relatively slow shutter speed.  The longer exposure time likely captured a small amount of web movement.  The wide bands of colored stripes are an artefact of the camera.  That is, the strands of silk are actually narrower than they appear in the photographs, but these images allow you to see the amazingly varied colors!

 

What a great way to celebrate the summer solstice — with an incredible light display!

With many thanks to both the spider and the sun...the orb-weaver and the orb!