On 18 May 2025, we observed a spider building its web after sunset. I took out my Z8 with a 105mm macro lens fitted with a SB-910 speedlight and the new Cygnustech Diffuser. This enabled me to take a series of detailed photograph of the Australian Garden Orb-weaver.
This is the first time I have seen such a large spider in our backyard. Previously, we have only observed some jumping and Lynx spiders.
Not being a seasoned macro photographer, I have to use the iNaturalist app on my phone to identify this spider.
The next morning, the web disappeared and the spider was found hiding in a hole. Then just after sunset, it started building its web again. This happened for a few nights. On one or two days, the web remained intact. I suspect that birds might have destroyed the web after dawn.
The spider disappeared after about a week. It may have moved on or got taken by a predator – possibly a bird.
The first night I took these photographs, I found that I have again let my macro photography skills slipped. This is rather disappointing because I have promised myself to do more macro photography the last time this happened. However, over the course of the few nights that the spider was around, I have managed to regained some of my skills.
As weather gets colder with winter approaching, I don’t think there will be many opportunities to photograph insects. I think I will try my hand at macro photography of flowers and fungi.
