Spider …
Huntsman, mother of them all. Whiling away the winter under a sheet of plastic by the house, damp enough to attract other forms, perhaps to eat, next to some straw bales.
*Click on the pictures for a proper look … and click again
Come spring there will be nests found in such places, when hundreds of little ones will be cared for by mum. You wouldn’t expect some mothers to care so well as she does.
Golden Orb weaver in Eprapah, with a honey bee for dinner. They are everywhere to be found, waiting in their webs, being simple spider life. The EU honey bees never stop here in Brisbane.
To my eye it looked at first like an ant, the little golden spot on the rear perhaps, and appeared more elongated than it does here – like an ant. Ran into view with dinner held firm, husk soon discarded.
A jumping spider, male maybe, spent some time dodging the tiny ants running up and down the tree trunk, where there are also golden bum ants patrolling. Tree trunks can be busy places.
Another Jumper, female I think, in another place at Eprapah. Lots of these guys about, big eyes, always inquisitive, needing to visually know their surroundings.
They won’t sit still for long, so I take what is offered. And observe the uncomplicated life at work and play. I believe they do both in their way.
A more business-like fellow, or lady. As soon as I touched my stick to the tree trunk she was out of her tunnel web and ready to strike. See how she holds the threads taut, ready for action. Couldn’t get a better shot without risk, of flight or bite.
I didn’t dare offer my finger, just to see … you know. Smaller spiders have left uncomfortable wounds enough, and this one had a certain aura – ‘Feeling Lucky Punk?’
A playful jumper, male again, I think. This one more concerned with his footing than the others. See the strands of silk he maintains a touch of, and anchored from his spinnerets.
Little blue eyes, have seen them signal another with those white socked front feet, waving in the air like flags. Over here, let’s be mates a while … Pretty little thing.
This way and that he turned, I couldn’t keep up. There will be more I think … nature doesn’t give up, though it can be left …
… out and about and on the move.
Passing emergent form, as real as yesterday, hold no sway.
Beyond what is believed, or is simply unavoidable.
Past the odd collision, debris trails fade, let go.
Nothing is as it seems, way down.
Beyond (spider) form.
Naturally …
© Mark Berkery ……. Click on those pictures for a closer look
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Nature's Place 
nice pics, spiders have always intrigued me.
Thanks Kevin. I think we have a primordial relationship with the spider, of admiration for its lightning fast killer instincts and fear of same.
Amazing photographs – perfect for my exposure therapy! Though those jumper spiders can actually be quite cute.
Thanks Will … For proper therapy you need to get out in the garden amongst the (relatively) real things. Focus of attention on the fact – here and now, the sense of the thing, by resisting the pressure to think that stirs emotion which is of the past. I suppose it can be called therapy, of a fundamental kind.
Those jumpers are sweet little creatures, as friendly as any pup or kitten but without the personal recognition.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. The exposure therapy remark was a joke, but I am actually doing some form of it to reduce my fear of spiders (like picking them up and bringing them outside when I find one in a room). Anyway, keep up the good work.
No problem. Not entirely a joke then … as is often the case with jokes. I trust it works for you.
wow that picture like a real.i love you site and i love spider
Thanks Muhammad.
O,My God! So real on my screen :) Great shots. Thank you, Love, nia
Thanks Nia.
I have a funny reaction to spiders…such exotic creatures 🙂
We may be instinctively wired to react to spiders. Thing is to moderate it, and maybe eventually change it too.
Fantastic images, Marc, although the hair on my neck often rises when I see spiders. Unfortunately, I can not turn that off ;-)
Thanks Simone. You can turn it off but it can take a long time too.
Super!
Thanks Oleg.
Great pictures!
Thanks Maggie. I think Dragonflies smile too, all creatures really, in their way. Had a site for them for a while – https://macromeditations.com/2010/07/17/dragonfly-68/ – was the last one.
Your pictures are amazing! I’ve never seen anything like them. I’m glad they smile for you too. I didn’t go through all of them because my PC is really slow, but I will go back to look at more. Thank you!
All the natural creatures have a similar smile, demonstrating an absence of unhappiness.
It’s a great nature, to remind us of a state before complicated mind.
Thanks Maggie.
Gorgeous images, Mark. The colors and textures on these little creatures are amazing!
Thanks Cate. They are amazing little things, natures creatures, aren’t they.
Incredible shots Mark. I love watching spiders. Up close they look like something from a sci-fi nightmare – all those spines, eyes, armor and fangs.
The sci-fi weird is taken from the actuality, I think. And the psyche, where form has its genesis.
Thanks Lissa.