Friends in my garden- 62

Orb-weaver spiders

Today I have three orb-weaver spiders from my garden.
Orb-weaver spiders build spiral wheel-shaped webs that are very common in gardens and places with a lot of plant growth.

Opadometa fastigata

Opadometa fastigata, the pear-shaped Leucauge, is a species of spider in the family of long-jawed orb weavers. It is found in India and East Asian countries. This species can be identified by its pear-shaped abdomen and the fourth pair of legs with a thick brush of spines.
Side view shows a hump formed by the pear-shaped abdomen overhanging the cephalothorax (the structure formed by head and thorax).
Gasteracantha geminata is a species of spider, found in India and Sri Lanka. It is known as the Oriental spiny orb-weaver or Spiny-backed orb-weaver, due to the prominent spines on either side of the abdomen.
Argiope pulchella, another species of the orb-weavers is seen in India and other Asian countries. The species can be often seen near human habitats.
Like other species of this genus, it is a “signature spider”; it builds the web with a zig-zag ‘stabilimentum’ resembling a signature!
These spiders build their web close to the ground in order to catch low flying insects.

Gasteracantha geminata

Argiope pulchella

This must be a pear-shaped Leucauge, with a different design on the abdomen.

Landscape- 10

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon, located in the state of Arizona, USA, is often considered one of the Wonders of the World with visually overwhelming size and its intricate and colourful landscape.
The awe-inspiring Grand Canyon is a deep gorge carved by the Colorado River through millions of years.
We can see a unique combination of geological colours and erosional forms of landscape. These layered bands of red rock reveal millions of years of geological history.
The Grand Canyon is a World Heritage Site.
These photographs were taken from the South Rim of the Canyon.

Patterns and Shapes in Nature- 5

Fern frond

This is a late evening shot of the fern frond.

Ferns are shade-loving ornamental plants. Though they thrive in tropical forests, ferns have adapted to temperate weather as well.

As is visible, this fern frond is bearing fruit bodies or Sporangia on its ventral side.  They produce spores.

The fern symbolizes eternal youth. To the Maori tribe of New Zealand, the fern represented new beginnings. To the Japanese, the fern symbolizes family and the hope for future generations. According to Victorians, the fern symbolized humility and sincerity.