by Len Maxwell
Member since:
December 17, 2005

Photo by Len Maxwell

October 03, 2010 01:22 PM UTC (Updated: June 04, 2011 11:27 PM UTC)
From the album: Challenges
spider,creepy,photochallenge,photoexpeditions,black widow
A fairly large black widow having breakfast under my window sill. Taken 9/30/2010 with a Kodak EasyShare Z1285. Yes, I was stupid -- I didn't put anything in there to give you a sense of scale. The back end with the hourglass is about 3/8" (9.5 mm).
Geotag
map view | street view

Comments: 50

Ruthi C. Oct 3, 2010, 2:05pm UTC
Nasty critter! And I can't believe I looked, yuck!
Len Maxwell Oct 4, 2010, 9:17am UTC
One of those things in life -- you just have to look at something such as this. I think they're a beautiful animal.
Justin Reid Nov 2, 2010, 6:40pm UTC
Beautiful but deadly.
Justin Reid Nov 2, 2010, 6:41pm UTC
They tend to go hand in hand though!
Marilyn (PaintsOnSlate) S. Oct 4, 2010, 7:10am UTC
If you shoot in high res, you could crop that photo and make that lady look really really really creepy. Although it's creepy enough -

Thanks for posting this to our group Photo Expeditions for the “ CREEPY” Challenge.
Len Maxwell Oct 4, 2010, 9:15am UTC
I use the same excuse all the time, but I'm going to do it one last time. I bought a Yashica J7 in 1966 and I had a selection of lenses and filters allowing me to do just about anything with it. This new digital thing? I don't know what the various settings are for. (I sound like an old fart talking about new technology.)

I keep saying I'll dig out the instruction book and figure out how to do things properly. (I never read instructions until I need specific information.)
Marilyn (PaintsOnSlate) S. Oct 4, 2010, 9:25am UTC
Read away - the digital cameras are a wonder. What I was talking about cropping your photo can be done to your photo on the computer. Any editing program will allow you to crop a digital photo. I use the program that came with my camera but I also have a number of editing (free downloads) to play with and they all crop as well.

It was just a suggestion - I like the photo as it is too.
Marilyn (PaintsOnSlate) S. Nov 1, 2010, 11:16am UTC
CONGRATULATIONS!

You are a winner of Photo Expeditions Photography Challenge, the theme “ CREEPY” .
Len Maxwell Nov 1, 2010, 1:32pm UTC
I finally found the book and figured out how to do close-ups, so I can only get better.

Quite a compliment, thank you.
Major J. Oct 6, 2010, 8:02pm UTC
Great photo, Len. Somewhat disturbing subject at breakfast, but still a great shot. Oh, wait... It was the BW having breakfast, not you!
Len Maxwell Oct 7, 2010, 7:38pm UTC
The last few days she's drawn back into her hidey-hole. After such a big breakfast, I don't expect to see her for another two or three days.
Debbie W. Oct 25, 2010, 5:13pm UTC
Nice shot. I was going to say it was a widow. I get them here sometimes also.
Len Maxwell Nov 1, 2010, 1:33pm UTC
I can walk around my house nearly any day and find at least one of them. I've learned to be careful sticking my hand into dark places around the outside of the house.
Renda B. Nov 1, 2010, 11:22am UTC
Creepy for sure. I don't mind looking at spiders from a distance, just don't want any too close. Congrats on your Photo Expeditions win!
Len Maxwell Nov 1, 2010, 1:34pm UTC
I don't like having them inside the house, but they do eat a lot of bugs so I can tolerate them outside.

Thank you.
ʚϊɞ Carol ʚϊɞ Nov 1, 2010, 1:27pm UTC
Congrats on your Photo Expeditions win!
Len Maxwell Nov 1, 2010, 1:34pm UTC
Thank you; kinda makes me want to start taking more pictures.
Linda B. Nov 1, 2010, 2:31pm UTC
congratulations on your photo expeditions win :)
Len Maxwell Nov 1, 2010, 3:37pm UTC
Thank you. It came as a pleasant surprise.
Linda G. Nov 1, 2010, 4:49pm UTC
yuck, congratulations!
Len Maxwell Nov 1, 2010, 5:24pm UTC
How about some compassion? It's a poor, widowed mother having a lonely breakfast after her children have left her.

Thank you.
Gary H. Nov 1, 2010, 5:19pm UTC
Congratulations on your photo expeditions win
Len Maxwell Nov 1, 2010, 5:25pm UTC
Thank you. I appreciate your stopping by.
Tory H. Nov 1, 2010, 5:33pm UTC
They're creepy, but pretty neat!
Len Maxwell Nov 1, 2010, 6:57pm UTC
I wouldn't want one as a pet, but I do enjoy watching them.
Jan S. Nov 1, 2010, 7:09pm UTC
Congrats on your win! Spiders make me feel itchy.
Len Maxwell Nov 1, 2010, 7:11pm UTC
Thank you. I don't itch, I just squirm a bit.
Heidi S. Nov 1, 2010, 9:42pm UTC
Oh, Yuck! Congrats on your Photo Expeditions win!
Len Maxwell Nov 3, 2010, 3:43pm UTC
It seems that the "yuck" factor worked out okay this time. Thank you.
Steve !!!! Nov 1, 2010, 11:18pm UTC
Congrats on your Photo Expeditions win!
Len Maxwell Nov 3, 2010, 3:55pm UTC
I always appreciate your stopping by.
Major J. Nov 2, 2010, 12:01am UTC
Nature can be brutal at times!

Congrats on your Photo Expeditions creepy win!
Len Maxwell Nov 3, 2010, 3:55pm UTC
There is no argument with that.

Thank you.
elizabeth evans Nov 2, 2010, 5:14am UTC
Never invite a black widow to dine
With her healthy appetite
she'll bite you every time.

Congrats on your PhotoExpedition win.
Len Maxwell Nov 3, 2010, 4:00pm UTC
I don't know about inviting her to dine, but isn't there something in there about worrying about getting bitten if you mate with her?

Thank you.
sunil m. Nov 2, 2010, 6:13am UTC
LenCongrats on your Photo Expeditions win!

Nice one.
Len Maxwell Nov 3, 2010, 4:00pm UTC
Thank you. It's always a pleasure when you get a surprise such as this.
carolyn b. Nov 2, 2010, 6:38pm UTC
Wow, congrats on your creepy win!
Len Maxwell Nov 3, 2010, 4:01pm UTC
Very kind of you to stop by and say so. Thank you.
Sandra H. Nov 3, 2010, 6:47am UTC
Not a fan of spiders but that's a cool shot! Congratulations on your "Creepy" win!
Len Maxwell Nov 3, 2010, 4:02pm UTC
I won't say I'm a fan of them, but they do keep the bug population under control around here.

Thank you.
JoAnn C. Nov 7, 2010, 3:23pm UTC
cool shot. congratulations on the creepy challenge win
William Dotani Apr 6, 2011, 2:40am UTC
A nice pet I guess.
Len Maxwell Apr 8, 2011, 2:05pm UTC
She does keep the insects under control, but doesn't like to cuddle.
William Dotani Apr 9, 2011, 1:34am UTC
One longtime Gather friend Bhawana has been the focus of a couple of my roasts where I had her have a pet tarantula named cuddles. I haven't roasted anyone in a while. I always try for satire and humor in a positive way that gets a laugh without being mean or offensive.
Ying/Yang: I'm a very caring serious writer, but I'm also a humorist crazy as a bat.
Alison H. Jun 4, 2011, 7:13pm UTC
Neat capture. We have brown recluse spiders here. I've gotten vertigo from spider bites (not knowing what bit me, but not those monsters!).
Len Maxwell Jun 4, 2011, 7:23pm UTC
I've lived with black widows most of my life and they don't bother me, but the brown recluse scares the heck out of me. I understand that they like to hide in clothing in closets. I keep thinking about sticking my arm into a shirt or jacket and running into one of those things. YUCK!
Alison H. Jun 4, 2011, 7:27pm UTC
I agree!

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