Stuck in the web

[Bo_]

My favorite spider is still in my garden - even though it's late September. And it not only with the weather it has been lucky - it caught a wasp in its web. I tried to take a good picture of the feast - but the spider would not turn towards the camera - and I could not get a better position because of a bush. I tried to use a piece of paper as background - but I hit the web and the spider ran to its hiding place.

But back to the picture - I use a powershot s3is with aperture f/3.5, ISO 100, shutter speed of 1/25s and my tripod.

Be brutal - what do you think of my spider eating.

[drrlam]

Hi Bo_!

The subject of your photo rests on the poor wasp caught in the web at the moment. We can only see part of the spider's abdomen at the moment.

Because I can't clearly see the rest of the spider, the image feels cluttered perhaps. I appreciate that you couldn't get another shot, but perhaps a reverse perspective would be good, and the entirety of the spider might be visible.

On the bright side, I think you've done well to capture a still image of the spider/wasp, as often the subjects are shaking the web, notwithstanding any breeze that may be blowing.

Just out of interest is it a type of Orb-weaver spider? It seems to be the right shape!

[Bo_]

Just out of interest is it a type of Orb-weaver spider? It seems to be the right shape!

Yes the spider is of the orb weaver family - it's a European garden spider (Araneus diadematus) or also known as cross spider. As the name reveals it lives in Europe (and in northern America). I think I got several hundred in by garden. I read on wikipedia that it is seldom the spider gets a Wasp - because they can bite them-selves free! But because it is at the end of the season the wasp was probably not in perfect shape - so it did not have a chance!

Because I can't clearly see the rest of the spider, the image feels cluttered perhaps. I appreciate that you couldn't get another shot, but perhaps a reverse perspective would be good, and the entirety of the spider might be visible.

I also tried to get another angle - but the bush in the background is 5 cm from the web - and I couldn't get my camera (and my tripod) between the web and the bush. The weather is getting colder - so I will probably not get another chance this year. Therefor I have to live with this not so perfect pose of the spider

Thanx for the comments

[waffles]

What do I think? Nasty. And for all the right reasons.

A better angle would have been nice. Something where you can see the spider going into it. I think a profile so you could see both pretty clearly would have been perfect.