One of the pluses of hanging laundry outside — besides that lovely clean small — is the surprises you find when you reel in your clothes.
Yesterday it was this wee jumping spider. She (he?) was sitting in the sun on top of a sheet. As I tried to gather her to safety she spun herself down on a delicate silk thread and landed on the deck.
These little guys personify cuteness. Even some folks who hate spiders grudgingly admit an interest in them.
Get up close to one (how could anything this small hurt the monster that is you?) and you’ll find them curious, turning to look at you and watching your movements.
The spider I found is not colourful — beige, blonde and black easily blend in with the wooded area where I found her.
If you want colour, check out peacock jumping spiders.
Australian Jurgen Otto has earned a wide following for his study of these psychedelically coloured arachnids — especially since he started adding music to their “dances”.
Take a peek at “YMCA” or “Stayin’ Alive” — bet you’re gonna fall in love with these guys. 🙂
Jumping spider Pelegrina flavipes ?
The Lens and I 
It was the peacock spiders that really jump-started (!) my interest in jumping spiders generally. I posted about them when Halloween rolled around. I think they had the best costumes ever — but who doesn’t love those eyes, even on a plainer sort? They really are cute.
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Big hubcaps for eyes (gotta luv’em). It was your Hallowe’en post that introduced me to the peacock jumpers — who knew such wild-looking spiders existed! 🙂
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ESP indeed, Sally! Lovely photos, especially that top one which really does personify cuteness 🙂
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Thanks, Pete — these are the first pics of spiders with my extension tubes. I’m going to do more laundry if it attracts these little beauties. (Found another jumper on the laundry today – or maybe the same one from yesterday?) 😉
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I have been toying with the idea of getting Kenco extensions tubes, but have yet to make the plunge. They are not cheap. You are getting good results with yours there, Sally! Happy snapping 🙂
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Thanks, Pete. I looked at the Kenko ones too. You’re right. Pricey. I ended up going with Vello (Deluxe AF for Sony FE/E cameras; 2 in a set, 10 and 16 mm). So far I like what I’m able to do with them. A macro lens for my camera was far too expensive (especially when converting to CDN dollars. Ouch.) Also the reviews weren’t all that great on the macro. So for now, the tubes. Onward!
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Thanks for the info, Sally. I may look into these in the future. I am looking at getting a new lens, Sigma 18-300mm macro for my Nikon this weekend. The reviews looks pretty good, and it looks to be quite a versatile lens.
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Ooohhh! Sounds like a great purchase. Another note on the tubes — most advice seems to say put your camera on Manual. I often shoot on Aperture so sometimes forget to move it over. I’ve even used it on Auto and gotten some not bad results.
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I used to use aperture mode, but have got used to using full manual now, so that should be okay, thanks. I use auto on some shots, like landscapes sometimes, but mainly manual now I have got used to it.
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I think I’m moving in that direction too. 🙂
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You will find once you get the knack of it, you won’t want to turn back. Fiddly at first, a lot of trial and error, sometimes trial and error for me now depending on lighting condtions and subject matter, but good experience which can give your images that extra edge.
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Thanks for the encouragement, Pete. I do find lighting causes me trouble — photos tend to be underexposed. I can “fix” that in my photo prorgam but would rather do it right first in the camera. Practice, practice, practice. 🙂
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Excellent shots with your macro lens! I’m actually using extension tubes
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I think I hit SEND before I finished … I’m using extension tubes rather than a macro lens (the latter is much more expensive, especially for my Sony A6000 mirrorless camera). So far I really like them. I got 2 tubes, 10 mm and 16 mm. You can use them together or separately. I use them on my kit lens as well as my telephoto.
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Those are great photos! I’ve seen them here too, but not for a few years now.
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Thanks Terry. Found another one on the laundry today. 🙂
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I just looked up the one I last found here and it was a Johnson Jumping Spider, also called the Red Jumping Spider and I found him at a fire lookout not far from the National Bison Range. You are lucky to have them come to you!
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I’ll look that one up, Terry. She sounds colourful. 🙂
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Here’s the blog post about it: https://montucky.wordpress.com/?s=jumping+spider
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Delightful! I wonder if Johnson’s descendants are still enjoying that view. 🙂
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Cuddly and cute but EEEEEEK! actually I dont mind our spiders but not so sure how id feel if one of those was wriggling in my top.
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Great pictures though.
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Thank you. 🙂
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You becoming friends with those spiders? Are you paying them as photo models? 🙂
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They seem happy to do it for free. Then again, the invoice may be in the mail. 🙂 And I confess to a lifelong habit of removing spiders from bathtubs and sinks and floors … sort of like catch and release on the arachnid level.
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