Spiders
Arch-enemy is perhaps a bit overly dramatic. But, seriously, we have a long and sordid history--I have had one inside the elbow of a sweatshirt fresh out of the laundry (discovered minutes later while sitting down to watch TV), crawling across my pillow (in our house, in our bed) just as I was about to lay down my head, a giant black one crawling up my neck in the bathroom and another one floating across the surface of a freshly drawn bath. (A few weeks ago, at my parents, I even came within a hair of taking off my shirt in front of everyone when I thought one was on me. Close call.)
BUT, outside (far away from me) is another story. I do admire a good web. And so it is that we have been stalking a giant spider building a huge orb web on our deck.
J spied him a few nights ago as it was finishing up its work.
The spider (a
spotted orb weaver?) is probably 1.5-2 inches long. The web about 2-3 feet in diameter.
Spider top:
Spider belly (shivers!):
The next night J spotted him just before he started. And while Beza slept, the rest of us gathered around for a two-hour show (From 8-10). (No joke.)
It built it right across the deck stairs. (It's now common practice to do a web sweep before we go outside. That thing would totally catch a kid.)
Crazy amazing.
Of course, then we watched him catch a few bugs and eat them. C.R.E.E.P.Y. And, yet, fascinating all at once.
(T-man totally fell asleep on the kitchen floor.)
Tonight, while eating dinner on the deck, we discovered a smaller one building a web attached to M's chair and the deck side.
No one even squirmed.
We definitely have a love/hate relationship with our arachnid friends. :)
(Worth noting: If the web is still there in the morning, M likes to release the "anchor" lines one at a time and then roll the whole web up into a little ball of silk. Also, no joke.)