A rain-soaked web of a funnel web spider

We have had a lot of rain lately…everything is soaked. I photographed this rain-soaked spider web in the field next to our driveway. The photograph was taken from above down upon the flat surface of the web. This type of web is known as a funnel web. It is a flat platform with a funnel-shaped opening leading down from the surface. Trip lines may extend upward from the surface of the web . The spider lays in wait in the funnel. If something lands on the flat portion of the web or disturbs one of the trip lines, the spider rushes out to seize it.

A funnel web spider

A closeup of the funnel region shows the spider lurking just below the surface of the web. I would have had to capture it to identify it, but I decided to leave it alone. If you look closely you can see some of its eyes and its large chelicerae, which have the fangs at their ends, below the eyes.