Web-spinner

On my early morning dog-walk I came across this garden spider, busily spinning her web. Fortunately I had my macro lens and took a series of photographs of the process. Once again, I was struck by the way that photography really makes you observe closely. I don't think I've previously fully absorbed the delicate process of web construction.

The spider had already laid down the radial threads, and was proceeding in a clockwise direction, extruding a strand of silk from her spinnerets. As she approached a supporting thread she would hook the extruded silk thread onto one of her legs, guide it into place and then stick it onto the radial thread with another - a swift and fluid movement that scarcely caused a pause in her ever-decreasing circular motion.