Journal

Hunt for the Tree Stump Orb Weaver

on
19 June 2010

Ok the title wasn’t meant to rhyme.. knew that some regulars found a Tree Stump Orb Weaver (Poltys sp.) and I really wanted to go take a few shots of it. As it’s name implies, it looks like a tree-stump and camouflages itself by perching itself at the tip of a branch stump. This is a nocturnal species and builds a web every evening. After a night of catching prey, it dismantles it’s web in the morning and goes back to sit on the stump of a branch. I always wondered why it doesn’t get burnt under the HOT sun… many trees at Admiralty Park got uprooted due to a storm, and this guy was stood firm at the same spot for over 2 weeks!

It was my last subject of the day but I’ll just put the pictures in front. 🙂

Tree Stump Orb Weaver Spider (Poltys sp.) - DSC_0283#1 Front view, most people won’t even notice it. It was the web that gave it away. Possibly Poltys illepidus.

Tree Stump Orb Weaver Spider (Poltys sp.) - DSC_0292#2 Closer view from the side. The legs are positioned to cuddle it’s face!

Tree Stump Orb Weaver Spider (Poltys sp.) - DSC_0309#3 Another side view but re-positioned to get a green background from the grass and trees

Tree Stump Orb Weaver Spider (Poltys sp.) - DSC_0322#4 View from the top. Looks like the face of a fox or mouse yeah?

Tree Stump Orb Weaver Spider (Poltys sp.) - DSC_0330#5 Close up on it’s face in case you still can’t see the well camouflaged dude

Thats all for the tree-stump orb weaver! Next up are some common finds in Admiralty Park.

Leopard Lacewing larva (Cethosia cyane) - DSC_0116#6 A pair of pupae of the Leopard Lacewing. They just eat and eat and eat.. won’t stop moving!

Leopard Lacewing larva (Cethosia cyane) - DSC_0091#7 Took us a while to figure out where the head was, it became obvious when one of them decided to poop!

Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae) - DSC_0123#8 Spotted a huge Lynx Spider attacking a wasp, holding it’s prey up high

Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae) - DSC_0148#9 It got irritated and turned around when I moved around in the bushes. The wasp was still alive, and seemed to be asking me for help. 🙁

Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae) - DSC_0170#10 Playing with natural back-light

Crab Spider (Thomisidae) - DSC_0192#11 While the rest were shooting the lynx, I found this green crab spider having an ant for it’s meal

Crab Spider (Thomisidae) - DSC_0210#12 It kept running around and the wind was strong, took quite a while to get a shot after it settled down here

Crab Spider (Thomisidae) - DSC_0265#13 And that’s how the face looks like!!!


The complete album can be viewed here.

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2 Comments
  1. Reply

    Ria Tan

    19 June 2010

    I've really enjoyed your posts! And learnt a lot from them. Just wanted to say this. Looking forward always to more!

  2. Reply

    Nicky Bay

    19 June 2010

    Thanks Ria, glad u enjoyed them! 🙂

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NICKY BAY
Singapore

Hi my name is Nicky Bay. I am a macro photographer, instructor and book author, travelling the world to document the vast micro biodiversity that nature has to offer. Follow my updates and discover with me the incredible beauty and science behind our planet's micro creatures!

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