While wandering through the University of Alberta Botanic Garden many years ago, I was given an unusual spider to photograph. It was an Araneid that I had not seen before, with a bright white abdomen marked with a dark patch at the rear. After getting an ID from the late arachnologist, Robin Leech (1937 – 2016), I was surprised to find out this was none other than a variety of the wide-spread Marbled Orb Weaver. However, the difference in pattern is amazing…
Some of the marbling is still visible on the forepart of the abdomen, but otherwise you would think it was a different species of spider! I released this one on to a fallen log and took some more photos before she escaped. Quite the cutie!
6 June, 2014. Top image: Canon 5D Mk II with Tamron Telephoto SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di LD IF Macro Autofocus Lens and diffused Canon Speedlite 270EX II. ISO 200, 1/200 sec. @ f14. Remaining images: Canon T2i with Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro Photo Lens and diffused Canon MT-24EX Twin Lite Flash. ISO 200, 1/200 sec. @ f16.