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Araneus diadematus (Common name: European garden spider): The Kill
We found this Araneus diadematus killing a grasshopper which it then stored for when the spider was hungry again. At the time the spider killed the grasshopper it was already full with its previous meal - which is confirmed by the shape of its sac. The grasshopper was trapped in the web which, being a large insect, it almost destroyed trying to escape. The spider waited for all movement to stop and then approached its victim carefully and touched it with its front legs to see if it would respond to the touch. Then there was a bite and the spider wrapped the grassphopper with its web and left it stored there.
This is a female spider; its genitals are at the center of the top of the sac in some of the photos. Photos 7, 8 and 9 show the openings of the glands which produce the web changing shape as it wraps the grasshopper with something resembling wrap foil (kitchen foil). The last photo shows the spider sitting on a nearby plant waiting for the grasshopper to die and the next mealtime to come.
Photos by Mahi Goula and George Parchas
Shooting Data:
1. Camera: Canon EOS 5D MkII
Lens: Canon EF 180mmf/3.5L USM Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/160 sec - f/13, Manual mode
Flash: Canon 580EX II
Image: RAW edited in Photoshop CS4, levels adjusted, sharpening added saved as JPEG and resized.
2. Camera: Canon EOS 5D MkII
Lens: Canon EF 180mmf/3.5L USM Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/160 sec - f/13, Manual mode
Flash: Canon 580EX II
Image: RAW edited in Photoshop CS4, levels adjusted, sharpening added saved as JPEG and resized.
3. Camera: Canon EOS 5D MkII
Lens: Canon EF 180mmf/3.5L USM Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/160 sec - f/13, Manual mode
Flash: Canon 580EX II
Image: RAW edited in Photoshop CS4, levels adjusted, sharpening added saved as JPEG and resized.
4. Camera: Canon EOS 5D MkII
Lens: Canon EF 180mmf/3.5L USM Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/160 sec - f/13, Manual mode
Flash: Canon 580EX II
Image: RAW edited in Photoshop CS4, levels adjusted, sharpening added saved as JPEG and resized.
5. Camera: Canon EOS 5D MkII
Lens: Canon EF 180mmf/3.5L USM Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/200 sec - f/13, Manual mode
Flash: Canon 580EX II
Image: RAW edited in Photoshop CS4, levels adjusted, sharpening added saved as JPEG and resized.
6. Camera: Canon EOS 5D MkII
Lens: Canon EF 180mmf/3.5L USM Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/200 sec - f/13, Manual mode
Flash: Canon 580EX II
Image: RAW edited in Photoshop CS4, levels adjusted, sharpening added saved as JPEG and resized.
7. Camera: Canon EOS 5D MkII
Lens: Canon EF 180mmf/3.5L USM Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/200 sec - f/13, Manual mode
Flash: Canon 580EX II
Image: RAW edited in Photoshop CS4, levels adjusted, sharpening added saved as JPEG and resized.
8. Camera: Canon EOS 5D MkII
Lens: Canon EF 180mmf/3.5L USM Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/200 sec - f/13, Manual mode
Flash: Canon 580EX II
Image: RAW edited in Photoshop CS4, levels adjusted, sharpening added saved as JPEG and resized.
9. Camera: Canon EOS 5D MkII
Lens: Canon EF 180mmf/3.5L USM Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/200 sec - f/13, Manual mode
Flash: Canon 580EX II
Image: RAW edited in Photoshop CS4, levels adjusted, sharpening added saved as JPEG and resized.
10. Camera: Canon EOS 5D MkII
Lens: Canon EF 180mmf/3.5L USM Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/200 sec - f/13, Manual mode
Flash: Canon 580EX II
Image: RAW edited in Photoshop CS4, levels adjusted, sharpening added saved as JPEG and resized. | 
