“Come into my parlor…”
The garden was very colorful and the spider ‘invisible’ until light glinted off the web. This unidentified spider appeared to be ordinary and brown from several feet away. It was only when it was approached with a 180mm macro lens that its colors popped even against the out of focus brilliant red and green behind it. Many little creatures are camouflaged in plain sight and need close inspection to see their intricate beauty.
Spiders that weave circular webs often have to spend time constantly repairing them. Rain, wind, a passing animal and more can damage the strongest fiber known. This individual appears to be making repairs to the central area filling in around the spokes. We have returned to webs just a few hours after finding them to see the owner laboriously beginning again or making repairs to a torn net.
The primary colors of this composition boldly demand attention. Then the delicacy of the web and mosaic pattern of the spider redirect the viewer’s attention. The spiral keeps the eye from straying too far from the subject.
We like to identify the species we photograph. However, sometimes the shapes, colors and patterns of a plant, animal or geologic feature are too beautiful to pass by.
Addendum: A friend identified the spider as an Orchard Orbweaver (Leucauge venusta). We compared it to images on the BugGuide, another wonderful resource besides friends.