These Are the Most Exquisitely Weird Spiders You Will Ever See

[n2doc]

Spiders are among the craftiest and most beautiful of arthropods, entirely undeserving of their maligned reputation. Some signal their presence with massive horns or brilliant colors, others attempt to blend into the scenery. Many spin intricate traps of sticky silk, but some chase their prey -- or ambush it, bursting out of burrows hidden beneath Earth's surface. Some spiders are solitary, watching over trembling webs and waiting for the day when they can mate and cannibalize their partner. Others live in colonies, dividing chores among hundreds of individuals. Some spiders are as big as your face -- others can be mistaken for dewdrops.

Hanging from the corners of the world, or tucked into its creases, is a dazzling array of arachnids, mostly going about their lives with little notice from us humans.

But some are lucky enough to find themselves in front of photographer Nicky Bay's lens. Based in Singapore, Bay specializes in macrophotography -- or taking super close-up images of tiny things. Trekking through the region's forests or poking around parks at night have brought him face-to-face with some of the most bizarre and beautiful spiders we've ever seen. Now, he's captured thousands of marvelous images that highlight a diverse and incredible world that's too easily overlooked. "Macro photography opens a window to the micro world, which exists all around us," said Bay, shown shooting robberflies on a beach. "Looking up close can often reveal many surprises."


Mirror Spider
Thwaitesia sp.
Singapore, July 2013


Wow. WOW. On July 12, Bay captured this shimmering spider as it transformed itself from a somewhat rhinestone-studded arachnid (right) into a solid wall of spider mirror (below). The shiny, reflective patches on this spider’s abdomen may be produced by guanine crystals, which can be a source of structural color in arthropods. Also commonly referred to as a “sequined” spider, the arachnid is a member of the Thwaitesia genus. In a post on his website, Bay described how the shiny patches were initially quite small, perhaps because the spider was agitated. But as it chilled out, the spider's mirrored patches grew and grew, eventually forming a mesh of beautiful silver cells.

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http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/07/weirdest-spiders-ever/?pid=8891&viewall=true

[tridim]

1. I don't understand why people hate spiders so much. They're stunning!

[Bay Boy]

5. Why is it laughing at me?

Bastard!

[Mojorabbit]

10. I am recovering from a spider bite.

Luckily it wasn't one of those really nasty ones but it was bad enough and is taking forever to heal.

[Yo_Mama]

12. Spider bites

No, really. Any time your flesh turns black after a really little thing bites you, you will remember and fear them ever after.

[kestrel91316]

2. I hate you. I'm going to have nightmares for weeks.

[n2doc]

3. The title did say "spiders"

You were warned!

[Warpy]

4. I tolerate spiders in my home

unless they invade my own space, in which case they're scooped up and deposited outdoors. They eat all the stuff that's worse and should be preserved.

Here the most beautiful is the Apache spider, a glossy black spider with a patch of fuzz on its back that varies from taxicab yellow to deep brick red. They're jumping spiders rather than web spinning spiders. The bite is very painful (as I can attest to) but not dangerous. They're the worst I've had to deal with so far.

I've always enjoyed watching spiders at work, although I wouldn't like being their prey at all. Watching Deinopus on a blade of grass dropping her net on an unsuspecting ant is a thing of rare beauty.

And I've always wondered what those heavy silk structures in the webs of garden spiders were about.

[Skittles]

8. I am fascinated by spiders too

here's my favorite:

[HubertHeaver]

13. Just what kind of spider is this?

I have seen them around in the fall.

[Skittles]

14. argiope - but in Texas we call 'em zipper spiders

I only see them rural and outside - wow they are gorgeous - very often a big female in the web with a tiny male off in the corner

[HubertHeaver]

15. Thanks. They were plentiful on the farm in Illinois.

Had them in the backyard here in Texas when we first moved into this house. Haven't seen any in a few years.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

6. they are beautiful. thanks for posting the link and pictures.

nature is so amazing.

[Yavapai]

7. That glorious black widow spider that bit me on the arm as a kid,

was just gorgeous after I mashed it with a 4lb. sledge hammer!

I have mashed every black widow since!!

[Warpy]

9. Those are the only ones I'll squash

I've only ever seen one (although I'm sure they've been hiding in the firewood that's gone into the wood stove) and she was flat before she even thought about biting me.

Most people survive the venom with treatment but there are some chances I don't want to take, thanks, not even for IV Valium.

[CrispyQ]

11. The Mirror spider is gorgeous!

Some really freaky looking ones, too. Thanks for posting!

[DRoseDARs]

16. Welp, time for a new monitor. Kept smacking mine with a shoe and now it's cracked. nt