WildView™

April 25, 2016

You’ve Got Mail

- as seen by -

Chris Spohn

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I searched high and low for any kind of jumping spider – out in the parks, on and off trails – with very little luck. Then, the closer I looked inside and round my house, the more successful I became in finding them.

This tiny juvenile was hiding (with friends!) in my mailbox. The little spider took a good look at me to decide whether to jump on to my camera, or in this case, over to a pile of sugar maple leaves. In order to keep track its whereabouts, I stuck a twig in the ground near it to mark its spot, and quickly ran inside to grab my camera, flash, and flash diffuser (a piece of tracing paper taped in an arc from the flash to the end of the lens). I settled into place and found it just as interesting to watch the spider move around as it was to take its picture.

I took about 30-40 pictures and carefully placed the critter back where I found it. Months later, there are still jumping spiders living in my mailbox.

EDITOR’S NOTE: As part of our 2015 Wild View Calendar Contest, this photo was one of 12 chosen from hundreds of submissions.

Pentax K3, Pentax D-FA WR 100mm Macro, 67mm Kenko Extension Tubes, Pentax AF-360fgz flash, Tracing Paper Diffuser

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