Yet Another Cycling Forum
Random Musings => Miscellany => Where The Wild Things Are => Topic started by: Wowbagger on 05 September, 2016, 11:00:14 pm
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The first of the autumn has made its web in the garden. How the hell do they manage to get from the washing line to the plants in the overgrown jungle that ought to be our vegetable patch? I inadvertently blundered into one of the main guy lines for the web the other day, breaking it. Within minutes the spider had climbed up another guy, worked her way across and seemed to be following an invisible thread back to the web whilst spinning a much more robust one. I have no idea how they do that. They are marvellous creatures.
That means that the washing line is hors concours for us for a month or so now, so that all the spiders can have the chance to make their webs without risk of damage from clumsy humans. We can dry clothes inside.
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I would never have imagined that spiders could need human protection! Are they an endangered specie?
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Well, there's no reason why spiders shouldn't have human protection. There is an SSSI in Mid Wales (Ystwyth Valley) in which the unusual spiders get a special mention - it's a post-industrial area as there was lead mining in the vicinity about 200 years ago and the residual lead pollution has lead (ha!) to some unusual species taking up residence.
But so far as I know, the garden cross spider is pretty common. It's just that they are such beautiful, fascinating creatures that I would rather not harm them if I can possibly avoid it. If that means drying the washing indoors for a few weeks in September every year, then so be it.
I noticed 3 webs in our garden this morning, all with their owners sat in the middle waiting for lunch to fly in.
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Hats off! I know very few people who call a spider "beautiful"! It's probably because our lives are running so fast that we don't take the time to look at these small beauties!
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We have one of these in a hole between bricks by our side door.
Tube web spider (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segestria_florentina)
E resists all my suggestions of evicting it.
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(http://www.wou.edu/~baumgare/cross_female_close-up.jpg)
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Oh dear god, someone hand me my MP41A pulse rifle...
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Ah, isn't it sweet ;D
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I love them but they seem to be smaller than usual this year. I love how they place the webs over the flowers in the garden but manage to attach a section to the washing line 10ft away
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/7/6142/6025751471_d8e26a476d_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/abtxYK)
I much prefer the walnut orb weaver or a jumper. The walnut can give a rather nasty bite!
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/7/6190/6064356275_dcd742556b_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/aeTpQP)
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8015/7302828558_021e12140d_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/c8jUvd)
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Mrs. Wow used the washing line and demolished the web today. I was very disappointed. The spider could be seen sulking on the leaf of a nearby plant.
I bet she replaces her web in the night.
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We have many indoor examples of arachnids doing there stuff! It was entertaining watching a wasp being consumed from the inside recently (sorry no photos). The indoor airers are as precarious in relation to the spiders webs as the outdoor washing line so it has to be decided on the basis of weather!
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I think they rebuild the webs every night, so if you use the washing line they will just spin a new web. If you go out in the garden at night you see them all spinning away. It doesn't seem to take them very long.
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Spiders are truly wonderful creatures and far preferable to flies.
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That's what I thought, but the one that has been most disturbed doesn't seem to have one so, or at least has selected a different place.
Last autumn, one of these beasties repeatedly built its nest in the gateway to Phyllis's bungalow, which is bordered by privet hedge. I must have walked through that web about 4 times, and she rebuilt it each time.
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Well, resurrection time.
There's one in the garden now. That's more than a fortnight earlier than last year. Do they eat blackberries? :o