http://newnaturalist.com An amateur photographer's personal journey Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:31:05 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en http://newnaturalist.com/2010/01/18/still-life/ Here is an unexpected shot... all I intended was to take a photograph of the spider on the buttercup, when in flew an unexpected visitor, the spider's next victim. Notice how the spider hangs his victims from silk threads - ready to be eaten at a later time. See also : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranunculus http://newnaturalist.com/2009/05/24/spider-hunting/ This Dog Rose was neatly folded (resembling an orchid). It's creator, a crab spider, lay in wait inside. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_canina http://newnaturalist.com/2009/05/23/flower-neatly-folded-by/ This caterpillar was part of a colony of some 20 or so individuals enclosed in silk threads. On being disturbed it threw itself out on a invisible silken thread and hung suspended in the air. See : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_caterpillars http://newnaturalist.com/2009/05/23/caterpillar-suspended-in-mid-air/ Crab spiders often catch large insects such as bees. It seems this fellow was on his hors d'oeuvre. The fly in its jaws was so small that I didn't notice it whan I took the shot. http://newnaturalist.com/2009/05/23/crab-spider-having-a-snack/ http://newnaturalist.com/2009/04/18/frans-lanting-presentation/ http://newnaturalist.com/2009/04/17/saddle-backed-bush-cricket-ephippiger-ephippiger/ http://newnaturalist.com/2009/04/17/rose-chafer-2/ http://newnaturalist.com/2009/03/16/lichen-2/ It is unfrequent to be so pleasantly surprised. On a weekend drive out of Paris I stumbled almost by accident on the hamlet of Lavacourt on the River Seine and its small Restaurant-Bar-Tabac "Chez Charlot". Immediately opposite lay the village of Vetheuil - a village made timeless by Monet ... http://newnaturalist.com/2008/09/08/lavacourt-first-impressions/