SynergyZA wrote:

Not sure what this spider is called. Just saw a little ball hanging from the centre of a web. When I touched the web, it started moving. Was very low to the ground on a plant so couldn't get a nice shot from below.

any ideas?

Tropical tent spider (Araneidae Cyrtophora sp. probably citricola)

Anyway.

That is what I can share with everyone.

Was a pretty awesome experience. The rooms were very luxurious, fire was made every night, rooms were kept tidy by the staff like a hotel. My dad and some other people went hunting. We shot some rifles at the firing range (which is normally not allowed on game farms, but here it was). We did game drives, lots of photography. Everything was awesome.

Can't wait to go again in the summer months. Apparently they have 30cm millipedes, 40+cm stick insects, lots of other insects and MANY spiders, including some baboon spiders as well. The scorpions are apparently also easy to find then as well, I didn't see any though (winter).

Here is the website for the place. Quite a drive, but worth it!!

www.tusksafaris.co.za/

Cheers

Rayman wrote:

SynergyZA wrote:

Not sure what this spider is called. Just saw a little ball hanging from the centre of a web. When I touched the web, it started moving. Was very low to the ground on a plant so couldn't get a nice shot from below.

any ideas?

Tropical tent spider (Araneidae Cyrtophora sp. probably citricola)

Thanks Rayman.

It looked 100% like this: www.flickr.com/photos/58213213@N00/3180943434/

With regards to the nests. Yes. Many old wives tales were told... at least with regards to 30cm Tarantulas native to South Africa, I knew the truth much better than them
Some of the visitor stories: Scorpion sting killing you within 15 minutes. 30cm Baboon spiders. Orb weaver spiders able to catch small birds mid-air.
Quite funny, but anyway. Everyone has there stories I suppose.

Orb weavers catching birds in their webs. That one is true. actually have witnessed it twice before. Once with a small sparrow and the other a swallow. Both times they were caught by golden orb web spiders (Nephila senegalensis)

Awesome thread! I think it will be cool to post a bit more info/pics of some local cuisine. Great pics. What camera did you use?

Rayman wrote:

Orb weavers catching birds in their webs. That one is true. actually have witnessed it twice before. Once with a small sparrow and the other a swallow. Both times they were caught by golden orb web spiders (Nephila senegalensis)

Yes. I have seen some photos of this on the interwebs

Many of these stories have some truth to them, but have some extra bits that are not true. This orb weaver story I am referring to had the spider jumping from the tree and catching the bird mid-air without the use of a web. Which is not 100% accurate.
Same goes for the scorpion killing ANYONE within 15 minutes. Again, yes, the thick tailed scorpion is very venomous, but won't kill you within 15 minutes.

Will go back in the summer and hopefully get some huge bugs to photograph.

@sheepking
I use a Panasonic Lumix FZ-50 with a Raynox DCR-250 macro converter for the extreme close-ups. This camera has very good performance for "mik en druk" especially in good light. You do get some noise in low light setups.
It has a 35mm equiv zoom of 35 to 420mm. Which gives you excellent range and an F stop of 2.8 to 3.6 through this zoom range as well. Image stabilizer built-in, works excellent even while driving.