Huge Dock Spider

Jody MelansonJody Melanson Registered Users Posts: 416 Major grins
edited July 30, 2012 in Holy Macro
One of my sons caught this huge Dock Spider. Dock Spiders are the largest Spider in Ontario, Canada. Dock Spiders can run across the water in pursuit of their prey. They can also dive underwater and their hairs will capture air bubbles allowing them to stay underwater for 15 minutes. They will catch small fish, tadpoles, etc...while down there. She is carrying an egg sac.

1
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2
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3
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She was really holding onto that egg sac. She had her fangs in the front of it, two legs holding at the front and a bit of web from her hind end to hold the back. She was very fast when moving.

4
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5
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She was so big, to get this image, I had to take off the tubes to be able to get her all in.

6
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We released her back on the dock. She was so large, she couldn't get between the boards to get back under the dock. She had to go down the side and under. Quite impressive.

7
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There is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness!

Comments

  • Paul IddonPaul Iddon Registered Users Posts: 5,129 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2008
    Wow, that second image is mammoth!


    Link to my personal website: http://www.pauliddon.co.uk





  • cmorganphotographycmorganphotography Registered Users Posts: 980 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2008
    I should note that I had a bad dream about spiders laying eggs in my legs and arms last night and they hatched and ate me.
    Mother Nature wants us to be afraid. Why else would something look like that. It's insane how big she got and the size of the egg sac. :cry I'm going to have more bad dreams.
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  • GOLDENORFEGOLDENORFE Super Moderators Posts: 4,747 moderator
    edited July 23, 2008
    great shots Jody, looks similar to our english RAFT spider.
    phil
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/goldenorfe/
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  • teamracephotosteamracephotos Registered Users Posts: 492 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2008
    Truly Amazon!
    All are great, but number two jumps right out at you. MM
    “I love not man the less, but Nature more.”
    — Lord Byron
  • SkippySkippy Registered Users Posts: 12,075 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2008
    Jody Melanson wrote:
    One of my sons caught this huge Dock Spider. Dock Spiders are the largest Spider in Ontario, Canada. Dock Spiders can run across the water in pursuit of their prey. They can also dive underwater and their hairs will capture air bubbles allowing them to stay underwater for 15 minutes. They will catch small fish, tadpoles, etc...while down there. She is carrying an egg sac.

    She was really holding onto that egg sac. She had her fangs in the front of it, two legs holding at the front and a bit of web from her hind end to hold the back. She was very fast when moving.

    She was so big, to get this image, I had to take off the tubes to be able to get her all in.

    We released her back on the dock. She was so large, she couldn't get between the boards to get back under the dock. She had to go down the side and under. Quite impressive.

    Hi there Jodi, isn't it nice when someone finds you something special to photograh :D

    I was looking at the egg sack, it's quite thick in it's construction,
    reminds me of a texture of a Shammy Cloth.

    When they lay an egg sack like that, do you know if they take it everywhere with them, or do they hide it when they go in and under the water?

    That would be quite an effort to lift an egg sack that big off the ground high enough to run around.

    In the profile shot Image 4 you can see how high her legs and body are already off the floor, yet the sack is still touching the floor.

    Gosh what a face, I bet she has a decent pair of fangs too. eek7.gif

    Excellent Series Jodi clap.gifclap.gif thanks for sharing .... Skippy :D
    .
    .
    Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"

    ALBUM http://ozzieskip.smugmug.com/

    :skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited July 24, 2008
    Wonderful captures Jody.
    Brian V.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/
    http://www.lordv.smugmug.com/
  • KevinKevin Registered Users Posts: 236 Major grins
    edited July 24, 2008
    *shudders* mwink.gif

    fine series, sleepless nights.
    Kevin.
    the Photo Muse: http://the-photo-muse.blogspot.com
  • dadwtwinsdadwtwins Registered Users Posts: 804 Major grins
    edited July 24, 2008
    I love this series, absolutely fascinating. clap.gifclapclap.gifclap
    My Homepage :thumb-->http://dthorp.smugmug.com
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  • canon400dcanon400d Banned Posts: 2,826 Major grins
    edited July 24, 2008
    dadwtwins wrote:
    I love this series, absolutely fascinating. clap.gifclapclap.gifclap

    Great shots Jodi
    Regards
    Bob
  • GraphyFotozGraphyFotoz Registered Users Posts: 2,267 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    DANG IT!!!

    You sure know how to make my skin cRaWl!! eek7.gif
    Great shots thumb.gif but the bigger a spider is.....the faster I can run in the other direction!! rolleyes1.gif:D

    ~~~Shiver~~~ (Graphy is a sqirm'in)
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  • tleetlee Registered Users Posts: 1,090 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2008
    Very cool! My husband will sometimes find me bugs to photograph--but he'd NEVER go near a beauty like that! Awesome images. Thanks for sharing. I love viewing, and learning about different insects.
    T :D

    www.studioTphotos.com

    "Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons."
    ----Ruth Ann Schubacker
  • evanherkevanherk Registered Users Posts: 1 Beginner grinner
    edited September 29, 2009
    spider anatomy
    Jody Melanson wrote:
    One of my sons caught this huge Dock Spider. Dock Spiders are the largest Spider in Ontario, Canada.

    The 'legs' that it uses to hold on to its egg sac are not counted as legs. They are called 'palps' and have a function like insects' antennae. Spiders have eight legs and 2 palps. In male spiders they are also mating organs.

    But the pictures are lovely.

    Bart
  • cadredcadred Registered Users Posts: 77 Big grins
    edited September 29, 2009
    I think if I saw that, I'd run the other way! :cry
  • 12986dude12986dude Registered Users Posts: 1 Beginner grinner
    edited July 30, 2012
    I used to have a phobia of spiders, until I went kayaking over at Pollywog pond....Thats when I realized how big they get in the wild....still have the phobia....never realized in the Adirondacks we have spiders the size of medium sized tarantulas....I was looking at a cluster of sundew plants looked a few inches over, the spiders legs were drawn close to its body in defense and it was still 2 inches long!!! never back paddled so fast in my life.....
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