Ojai Spiders: Orb Weaver?
I found this spider dangling from the passion flower vine-covered trellis in the backyard. It was feeding on a gulf frittilary caterpillar over an inch long, one of many on the plant. It sucked it down in about ten minutes.
So what is it? Click through to find out and see spider video!
I believe its an Orb Weaver Spider - Neoscona arabesca.
Spider video I have hosted on YouTube.
Some more info:
Orb Weaver Spider (cirrusimage.com) - Spider silk is a complex protein that takes a great deal of energy to manufacture, so rather than let it go to waste, these thrifty arachnids recycle it every morning, and spin a new web in the evening.
Orb-weaver spider (Wikipedia) - The orb-weaver spiders (family Araneidae) are the builders of spiral wheel-shaped webs often found in gardens, fields and forests. The family is a large one, including over 2800 species in over 160 genera worldwide, making it the third largest family of spiders known.
It all began when I noticed a carpet of feathers in the Demo Garden's old tennis court. Then a rustle of leaves in one of the valley oaks at the edge of the garden drew my attention to a medium sized hawk eating a bird. I watched, fascinated, as another bird tried in vain to defend its mate or offspring. We spotted the Cooper's Hawk's nest in a eucalyptus tree in the Demo Garden, and, soon, three fledglings began to pose for Les. Unfortunately, Cooper's Hawks mainly hunt other birds, so I won't be too sad to see these youngsters grow up and fly away! Photos by Les Dublin
Thanks to the energy and expertise of John Lamar, today's low-flow irrigation workshop in the Ojai Community Demonstration Garden was a success on several fronts. After a thoroughly informative talk, attendees got their hands dirty burying new, wider pipeline. Both novices and gardeners with some previous irrigation experience learned how to install and maintain an irrigation system, and 2 areas that were not hooked up to the system are now on-line, so to speak! The result, after long hours of work in the hot sun, was well worth the effort, as several beds in the garden now have improved water pressure, and our historic rose arbor will now be regularly watered.
Just a short walk from next Saturday's Lavender Festival in Libby Park, the Ojai Community Demonstration Garden is a great place to see many different varieties of lavender. On Saturday, June 17th, Demo Garden volunteers will be on hand to welcome lavender aficionados and answer their gardening questions. There will be free tours of the garden at regular intervals throughout the day. Photo by Les Dublin
Two chalcedon checkerspot butterflies visited the coreopsis yesterday in the Demo Garden's butterfly bed. Photo by Les Dublin
A lovely mulberry tree provides some cool shade and delicious fruit. It also helps attract birds to the Demo Garden. Photo by Les Dublin