netr's images

[netr]

Haven't visited this forum much for a while, unfortunately. A lot's been happening though, including numerous moults and photo practice. Thought I'd share a few shots for now.

First of all, both my N. coloratovillosus slings have moulted into their juvenile colours, and are looking very pretty as a result.

#2, Mole, did it while I was away (along with three other of my Ts); here's a very noisy image:


#1 followed some time later, and I caught it in the act:


Finally, been learning a bit about light and sharpness, using the ever-patient, ever motionless G. rosea Denise as a model.


Edit: Eh, I should add that her patience is not totally endless:

 

[Storm76]

LOL - yeah she obviously had a enough of being "flashed"

 

[netr]

Came across that trick of using the depth of field preview button on the camera to set aperture manually, allowing for rudimentary aperture control even with cheap extension tubes like mine (which lack any electronic contacts). Quite pleased with the results!

Cyclosternum fasciatum/sp. #2 Of my seven I've not bothered naming this one because I'm setting her aside to give to a friend next year. She's the only one whose gender I'm more or less certain about so far.







Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens #1





Nhandu coloratovillosus - clearer shot of the same specimen mentioned earlier.



Brachypelma boehmei - Unfortunately the best angle I could get without encouraging her to move, which experience tells me is rarely a good idea. She hairs at the slightest physical intrusion, though she's very tolerant of activity that doesn't directly involve her.



In other news, I've had a whole bunch of extra moults. Both my Poecilotheria formosa and Avicularia huriana moulted yesterday, the former growing by at least two centimetres which is pretty great. I'll do my best to get some photos when she's out and about, but it's not an easy one to set up.

 

[Storm76]

Nice pictures and you're right - the depth is quite nice on them!

 

[netr]

I thanked you with the little button at the time, but now verbally - vielen Dank Stormy, always appreciate your comments!

I'd intended to stockpile photos before posting a hefty, comprehensive and organised document of each specimen in the collection, but after a sudden strike of luck with my P. formosa I got excited and felt like posting what I've managed so far. Furthermore, 'each specimen in the collection' is a tall order, not because of how many there are but because a bunch of them never show themselves above the substrate line. Finally, it'll cheer me up a bit after a recent accident that left me with one fewer P. muticus spiderling.

N. chromatus spiderlings (Nimhe, Patch and Droplet respectively):







G. pulchripes spiderling, Star





Juvenile B. boehmei, Jaffa:







A. huriana spiderling, Moss:



Woefully uninteresting shot, but it's the best I could get at the time. Can't get over the fur and colours on Avics. I found it outside its tube web at half-six in the morning, so at least now I know when it takes its walks.

Juvenile P. formosa, Moya (renamed from Prowler):



Finally I got her. She freaks out at any disturbance, scrambling all over or more often hiding away, but this time I managed to get an angle into her hide, pointing a light in from above. Evidently she was too busy munching a mealworm and a mealworm beetle to worry about it.

That's the lot for now, thanks for looking.

 

[Storm76]

Nice new set of pics. Love the ones of the B. boehmei. If these just wouldn't be that skittish...mine thinks it's an OW and charged and tried to bite anything coming close to it, lol

 

[netr]

Love the ones of the B. boehmei. If these just wouldn't be that skittish...mine thinks it's an OW and charged and tried to bite anything coming close to it, lol

Thanks man, and yeah the boehmei reputation is pretty interesting given the genus as a whole. Amazing colours though. I love Jaffa, but she's a bit of a kicker. She was very well-behaved during that shoot, which is always nice.

 

[Storm76]

Thanks man, and yeah the boehmei reputation is pretty interesting given the genus as a whole. Amazing colours though. I love Jaffa, but she's a bit of a kicker. She was very well-behaved during that shoot, which is always nice.

Pff, I'd be happy IF mine would kick hair - but she's outright trying to bite! Usually goes totally stiff for a moment, then suddenly goes straight for biting...funny

 

[netr]

Pff, I'd be happy IF mine would kick hair - but she's outright trying to bite! Usually goes totally stiff for a moment, then suddenly goes straight for biting...funny

Jaffa has grappled with my tongs a bit, I seem to remember. The only tarantula I have to have done so thus far, actually. I don't think the fangs came out though. Hope yours chills out a bit, in time! How old/large is it? I'm sure I've seen it in your picture thread, and will have a look now, but there are lots of picture threads to keep track of.


By the by, I got lucky again - this time with that pesky A. huriana, Moss. Pretty chuffed.

 

[Storm76]

Cute fluffball! Gotta love 'em. My boehmei is just ~2" maybe and currently in premolt. Feisty little T

 

[netr]

Haven't been here in a while! The collection's changed a bit so I thought I might post some updates.

My largest C. fasciatum, aka Hämä. DLS is about 4.5cm.




A different C. fasciatum, Gretel.


Gretel investigates a mealworm beetle.


Pamphobeteus sp. "machalla", aka Kuusi. Recently got two of these, and they really are gorgeous beasts.






Good old tree pattern.


Rather fat B. vagans spiderling. No affectionate name yet.


B. smithi spiderling, immediately after moulting.


A short time later, with the very faintest traces of colouration beginning to show.


Lasiodora parahybana. This fellow, along with a baby P. pederseni, were recent freebies.


Said P. pederseni, having a snack. Shot through the container wall, alas.


Monocentropus balfouri, peeking out at me.


Newly-moulted Nhandu coloratovillosus, aka Mole. Now looking spectacular, although still pretty small (4.5cm).


Mole's sibling Leliel, at the same size and moult stage but displaying a rather redder colouration. Pretty interesting.


Finally, an unnamed C. cyaneopubescens spiderling:


Hope you like 'em.

 

[netr]

Going to add a few more for good measure, as I just took out my beloved G. rosea Denise for a shoot - first time using the Kenko extension tubes with her. She didn't appreciate it much, but you can rely on most G. rosea to behave themselves. Good for indulgent practice sessions like this one.

 

[Storm76]

Great pictures there! I likes!

 

[netr]

Thanks Stormy. I was hoping to take some photos of my P. irminia (greatly inspired by your own adventures), for it decided to strip down all the webbing it had made against the container wall; it's now effectively visible all the time. So I prodded it with my paintbrush the other day to see what its temperament is like. Let's just say a) I'm glad I didn't use my finger and b) I'm glad I had my catch cup handy. Won't be bothering that fellow again for a while.

 

[Alltheworld601]

These are INCREDIBLE! Officially one of my favorite picture threads. What kind of camera do you use?

Also had a similar experience trying to get my P. cam out for pictures last night haha...she slapped me right in the paintbrush and said "NO PHOTOGRAPHS PLEASE."

 

[Storm76]

Thanks Stormy. I was hoping to take some photos of my P. irminia (greatly inspired by your own adventures), for it decided to strip down all the webbing it had made against the container wall; it's now effectively visible all the time. So I prodded it with my paintbrush the other day to see what its temperament is like. Let's just say a) I'm glad I didn't use my finger and b) I'm glad I had my catch cup handy. Won't be bothering that fellow again for a while.

Yeah, I decided against right that today with my 2nd female. Phaedra is in premolt and has sealed herself in, Firali though seems to get into premolt as well - she's cranky as hell and instantly went after the straw. Thought it better to leave her alone, too

 

[netr]

Yeah, it's a shame as mine has just moulted into its adult colours. I didn't get a chance since receiving it for any red-legged shots, and now I've discovered its disposition to be positively unstable. Beautiful genus though.

What kind of camera do you use?

Thanks, I'm glad you like them! I'm using a Canon 550D with the same brand's EF-S 60mm lens, usually augmented with the Kenko extension tube set. Shots are RAW and then optimised with Canon Photo Professional. Apart from the tubes it's the same stuff I was using when I started the thread, though lately my brother-in-law brought my attention to ISO and light control, which I'd very lazily never explored before (also I show in jpg at the time). I was pretty shocked by the difference a big bright lamp and a low ISO can make. But I've got to work on manipulating some of the crazier spiders like my P. formosa. I can't believe how fast (and excited) they are at times.

 

[Storm76]

Yeah, it's a shame as mine has just moulted into its adult colours. I didn't get a chance since receiving it for any red-legged shots, and now I've discovered its disposition to be positively unstable. Beautiful genus though.

I'll try get some photos of Firali after she has molted. She's usually not that defensive (though still more than Phaedra) and I should be able to get her out for a photo shoot then. I wouldn't say "unstable" by the way, more on the line of they have very different threshold on being messed with.

 

[netr]

Well yeah, call it humorous exaggeration: just poking fun at its attitude as an individual. I'm down with defensive-not-aggressive, etc. It really did flip out though, as they say! + Please do take Firali for a shoot when she moults. I'd enjoy any number of P. cambridgei images as well; that light greenness they seem to have is beginning to interest me more and more.
In keeping with the current genus I got out my Psalmopoeus pulcher Neith, my second ever tarantula of whom I made that unboxing video back in the day. Two moults later and it's grown a lot, and is showing some nice irridescence.











Two others for good measure. Brachypelma vagans makes it clear that no thanks, there won't be any proper photography today.



Miniature Poecilotheria pederseni.

 

[netr]

Went round to a friend's for dinner the other day, and among other things we did a spot of shooting and pairing attempts with his tarantulas. Neither of the two pairings was successful, but it gave me the chance to snap a few images of his stunning male Pamphobeteus sp. Machalla (just to be clear, I wasn't being intrusive with the camera during the actual mating attempt). I really love this genus to bits.







Also managed to photograph this surprisingly mild-mannered M. balfouri:



For my own collection, my B. vagans just moulted, acquiring the faintest red in those abdominal bristles.



Little king baboon (stayed put for more than a few seconds, for once)



B. emilia. First sign of colouration!