L.Bishopi - Red Hot Love! ...DU beware

[buthus]

Another repost from other forums...

I have tons of pics of failed attempts and male maturity tests that I was planning on posting...just for informational value. But, that was before last night...when things all finally came together.
A bit back, this and another male molted (to my surprise) into nice looking boyz, but before doing so, they showed little or NO sign of being males. The males that I was able to ID early ..all died. I honestly thought I was maleless and my plan to breed a couple ready n' willing adult females was dead in the water. So for the last few weeks or so I have been keeping quiet ...and trying to be as optimistic as possible. The males molted into what looked like maturity and I started testing them to see if they were ready...but no go. Then this one molted again a few days ago ...into the lankiest pretty boy I have seen! Fantastic looking male and surprisingly large ...and suddenly there was NO doubt that he was mature. I am often fooled (esp with the species I have no former experience with) by immature males, thinking they are ready, but once they actually hit maturity I am never fooled... there is just something obvious about mature males ...the way they stretch out in their web, their antsyness and almost suicidal attempts to get out of their cups, the shape of their abdomens and limb vs body proportions ...etc. This one was going to mate ...I could feel it! {D

Mate he did...
introduction was rough though... she chased him right out of the enclosure several times ...and I mean balls out run for your dear life kind of attacks. :D
He wasnt big into communication ... he mostly just wanted to mess up her webbing. Each approach was seemingly blind as far as the female was concerned ...and dangerous at that. But, eventually after many approach attempts, she finally let him caress her into a calm trance.
He actually was able to insert three times, but even though I managed to snap off around 6 gigs(!) worth of pics, I somehow missed the first two pull-outs. But, I recovered via another monster drink (5:00AM by this time) and got some fairly decent shots during the final round. After which, she proceeded to chase him (relentlessly) around the enclosure and most likely would have made him a tasty meal if it wasnt for giant mammel fingers intervening into the domestic squabble. :D

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_01.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_02.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_03.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_04.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_05.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_06.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_07.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_08.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_09.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2_00.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2_01.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2_02.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2_03.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2_04.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2_05.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2-clsup_01.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2-clsup_02.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2-clsup_03.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2-clsup_04.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2-clsup_05.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2-clsup_06.jpg

http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/bsh_A1--mB1_mate_plp2-clsup_07.jpg

[Becky]

Ab fab pics!! Looks good! :D Kinda cute for true's actually lol

[Mary]

Just look at the pedipalps and emboli on that thing strewth, they are big for a lil un.

[buthus]

Ab fab pics!! Looks good! :D Kinda cute for true's actually lol

Thanks! Bishopi are surely one of the gem species of the true spidie hobby. Unfortunately the specie will probably not be with us much longer if we continue to think that condos, strip malls and parking lots are more important than preserving their very specific and unique niche.

[Tegenaria]

Brilliant sequence of pics,and I must say Latros are fantastic looking spiders!

[buthus]

Brilliant sequence of pics,and I must say Latros are fantastic looking spiders!
Thanks! It was a long night not to mention hours of sorting thru around 6gigs of images.

[Tegenaria]

6 gigs! I take it you have a top end DSLR,and shoot in RAW?

[buthus]

6 gigs! I take it you have a top end DSLR,and shoot in RAW?
Nope not RAW
http://moflash.net/stuff/img/spiders/img_props_01.jpg

Catching palp insertion/pullout, subtle interactions, male behavior/movements, etc means dedicating a few hours of time and taking many shots. Getting these pics was important to me. Except for a couple other breeding projects, I have allowed myself to be distracted by other things, relying on guesswork timing ...and have missed many exceptional moments. Oh well... Im not getting paid for this. :eusa_boohoo:

[Tegenaria]

Ooh a 20D,wouldn't say no to one of those to replace the film canon i have-excellent cameras.