open orb web display... ideas?

[Pulk]

There's a back, two sides, and a bottom (open top and front). Ideas on how to convince her to build the web inside? If the open parts are temporarily closed, the web will be attached to them and removing them would destroy it. This would be a lot easier if they webbed during the day. :wall:
I know they won't necessarily stay there for many days once they've made a web. I'd like to just get an orb in there in the first place.

 

[Arachnomaniak]

I have set orb weavers up in the large, shallow rubbermaids before, set on their ends. I create a barrier at the bottom of the vertical rubbermaid that will hold the substrate in, and then I got a bunch of sticks and used hot glue to attach the sticks to the inside sides and inside top of the rubbermaid, this gives them anchor points for the webs. The biggest thing is making sure they have lots of good ventilation. Try giving them some anchor points and see if that entices them into webbing!

 

[Pulk]

It's able to climb on/attach web to any part of the box, but I guess actual sticks sticking out would be helpful. I'll try it. Thanks!

Edit: Wow, half an hour after I posted this, in bright light, she's making a very nice orb w/o sticks, a top, or a front.
It's perfect except it's not exactly vertical; the top is a little further forward than the bottom.
Finally, success!

Edit edit: I don't feel like making another post for this... is there any way to keep the spider on the right side of the web? The dorsal side is a lot prettier than the ventral.

 

[cacoseraph]

try tilting the cage so that the spider is forced to hang under one side of the web. only tilt like 10* or so, or it might try to reorient the web instead of just itself

a lot of sp don't make perfectly vertically oriented webs, btw. i don't know about this one (local Argiope sp?).

 

[Pulk]

Yeah, it's a local one (A. argentata). Tilting is a good idea. I'll keep it in mind.

 

[Pulk]

For anyone who might want to try this... it's been about week that she's stayed put without a front or top to the display. In that time the web has been rebuilt once.

The advantage of this as opposed to putting it in a corner of the room are that it's portable, it maximizes visibility (black background, white sides, can move into bright light), and my mom will let you do it.

 

[Black Widow88]

Yeah, it's a local one (A. argentata). Tilting is a good idea. I'll keep it in mind.

Also known as the Silver Argiope!

Black Widow88

 

[Pulk]

Here are some more pictures. Although I did adjust the brightness levels to better reflect how they look, they still don't do justice to real life. The abdomen is shinier in real life, and I couldn't get the camera to focus on it in the first place. The whole thing looks more ornate - in my opinion, it's a lot prettier than a pokie.

I think there are like 2000 sections in the web... it only takes maybe 20 minutes to make the whole thing.

 

[Pulk]

This post does not exist.

 

[Black Widow88]

WOW beautiful spiders!

Black Widow88

 

[dtknow]

Thats beautiful! If the background were clear it'd be even more impressive IMO.

 

[Pulk]

Thats beautiful! If the background were clear it'd be even more impressive IMO.

The web is -very- thin, the black background is basically necessary for it to be visible.

 

[Black Widow88]

Yeah very thin. I once saw one in it's web behind the dining hall at camp and the building was painted white and it looked like the spider was suspended in mid air! Would've made a nice shot but I didn't have my camera on me at the time.

Black Widow88

 

[Pulk]

this morning: two stabilimenta!

 

[cacoseraph]

this morning: two stabilimenta!

wow, it's really taking to that setup!

and now you can practice your araneomancy by trying to look for messages written into the stabilimenta

 

[Pulk]

I already found the message, but it's just a lot of M's, N's, V's, W's, and X's.

 

[cacoseraph]

I already found the message, but it's just a lot of M's, N's, V's, W's, and X's.

sounds latin to me

 

[Black Widow88]

ROTFL!

Black Widow88

 

[Pulk]

found this guy on a female's web outside.
wondering if i can breed him with this female... how can I tell if she's mature? (I'm assuming he is)

can a male mate with multiple females?

 

[Black Widow88]

Can a male mate with multiple females?

Sure he can....that is if he doesn't get eaten by the first one he apporaches!

Nice spider you found!

Black Widow88