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Collapse Issue 416 - 03 Apr 2017Issue 416 - 03 Apr 2017
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Government to trial cashless kiosk in place of registry
Correa Bay closed after sewage discharge
Ettalong channel not listed in State dredging strategy
Applications for committee membership
Beach could attract disability tourism, says activist
Woy Woy photographer helps discover new spiders
Waste contractor welcomes agreement
O'Neill welcomes garbage agreement
Comment wanted on new housing controls
Vinnies offers no-interest loans in Woy Woy
Scout hall extensively damaged in vandal attack
Peninsula roads summit needed, says Chamber
Minister announces $13M for Blackwall Rd work
By-election on April 8
Candidates' forum in Woy Woy
Church calls for a return to strong classroom discipline
Greens call for faster trains
Labor underpass promises 'unrealistic', say Libs
Unions NSW by-election campaign
Wicks uses parliamentary speech to support Pilon
Environment group adds weekly bushwalks
Lions Club presents indoor bowls mat
Twiners celebrate 67th anniversary
Council 'consults' through website
Peninsula receives highest rainfall in 12 years
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
Stop the fast ferry proposal
Response to fiscal fiasco is unseemly and futile
Not please with Services NSW
Sewage discharge a blow to waterway
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Doctor says he cannot give his practice away
GP 'emergency' is political stunt, says O'Neill
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Easter book fair held for 41st time
Italian festival to be held in Ettalong
Special screening of the Oyster Farmer
New president for arts and crafts centre
Artists show their work at Pearl Beach
Easter art exhibition
Opera proceeds go to Rotary and youth services
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Kiss and drop zone is not for parking
Yarning circle opens with smoking ceremony
Students chosen for dance ensemble
School turns off the power
Feast at Harmony Day
Kindergarten has Fun Day
Successful trivia night
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Bands support rugby union juniors
Bunnies field A-Grade team in Newcastle League
Woy Woy plays away in rugby union
Braddish wins under-15 ironman event
Primary student chosen to represent Australia
Bowls day raises fund for rugby league charity
Roosters receive $5000 grant
Swimmers compete at Southport
Stableford at Circle Social Golf
Novice bridge championship
Collapse  ELECTION ELECTION
Skyla Wagstaff - Animal Justice Party
Andrew Church - Christian Democratic Party
Abigail Boyd - The Greens
Liesl Tesch - Labor Party
Jilly Pilon - Liberal Party
Larry Freeman - Shooters, Fishers and Farmers

Woy Woy photographer helps discover new spiders

A Woy Woy amateur photographer who has been taking pictures of spiders over the last five years has played a part in discovering at least four new species.

Posting pictures of peacock spiders on social media led to Michael Dowe helping form Project Maritas, to investigate the habit and distribution of peacock jumping spiders throughout Australia

"I was contacted by an entomologist, Michael Duncan and an environmental scientist, Philip Price," Mr Dowe said.

"Together with another local photographer, Adam Fletcher, we formed Project Maratus," he said.

"By pooling our knowledge under Michael Duncan's guidance, Adam and I have become citizen scientists and Project Maratus is now in its third year," Mr Dowe said.

He said the non-profit, self-funded group played a vital role in understanding the evolution and ecology of peacock spiders.

The field work was primarily undertaken in spring, when they looked in different areas to establish what species of peacock spiders there were and in what numbers.

"In the course of our travels, we have discovered four, maybe five, new species.

"In this way, we have widened the known distributions of some species," Mr Dowe said.

The Central Coast has five species of peacock spider: maratus volans, maratus splendens, maratus plumosus, maratus.velutinus and maratus anomalus.

"The males gain their colour on their final moult when they reach maturity.

"They have flaps on their abdomen which open, displaying their brilliantly coloured patterns and they use elongated third legs as part of their courtship dance for the female.

"On average, these spiders are 4 - 5 mm in size, some smaller, some larger," Mr Dowe said.

Mr Dowe's photographs have received social media attention because of a technique known as handheld photo stacking.

"Most of our members are photographers and mostly use the Canon MPE 65mm macro lens.

"With its high magnification, the depth of field is very shallow.

"This technique involves taking several images at varying depths of field and combining them to make one image with a greater depth of field.

"During the cooler months when the spiders are not so active we undertake community talks on peacock jumping spiders and mount displays at science fairs, local family fun days and the like.

"One of our important aims is to educate people, particularly children, about these uniquely Australian spiders", Mr Dowe said.





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