We have a little friend spinning her web near our garage now. I looked her up and found out that she is an Orb spider. It's fascinating to watch her work, deftly weaving this beautiful web of hers.
The tall, feathery, green plume is one of the cosmos I planted from seeds that grew taller than me, but never bloomed. I fertilized, and Mac watered faithfully, to no avail. I never got even one flower out of the darned thing.
That's Mac checking out the evening's spinning session.
This is one busy arachnid. She's an accomplished hunter, smart enough to set up right under the garage light where there is no shortage of small flies, moths and beetles that visit and fall victim to her trap.
How amazing that such a small and seemingly insignificant creature can create something so complex and sublime, a thing of beauty that serves such a practical function. Nature never ceases to amaze me. The more I contemplate the natural world, the more awestruck and humbled I am by all it holds.
Fantastic post Deedee! I'm glad to meet someone else who is awestruck by these amazing creatures. We often get those kind building their webs in our greenhouse and it's fascinating to watch them. Spiders don't deserve their bad reputation put about by media such as horror films, etc. They are beautiful. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is one big Cosmos! lol Perhaps it got too much fertiliser that made the foliage grow wonderfully at the expense of flowers? This is just a guess as I know it's true of some other annuals, such as Nasturtium, so it might be true for Cosmos also.
Hi Deedee, You have some amazing photos here of this web. It's gigantic.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a spider lover, but they are amazing creatures.
Hugs,
June
Wow thats a wonderful web.
ReplyDeleteI think there has to be great significance to what this creature is creating. It takes my breath away.
ReplyDeleteIs Mac entering the Parlor?
Really terrific post.
Oh the wicked webs we weave....hmmm, don't know where THAT came from! Whatever - awesome pictures. We have the biggest webs on the wheel of our boat launch. I love the look of them with dew on, they sparkle. As long as those critters stay outside I let them live in peace.
ReplyDeleteLove the one of Mac checking it out - great shot.
ReplyDeleteThat is some size of web. Impressive!
ReplyDeleteWhen I meet them inside the house or they appear suddenly outside, the tiny hairs on the back of my neck go up, make no mistake about that! But, they are amazing creatures.
ReplyDeleteAwe... such a wonderful emotion.
ReplyDeleteI'm convinced that cities breed atheists, partially because they don't get to ponder the beauties of the natural world, like spiders and their webs.
Nice pics!
Hi Deedee,
ReplyDeleteI actually watched a spider spin its web when I was still in high school, and even until now, I never cease to be fascinated at how precise these creatures work.
It's great to know you are back to work. I am happy for you!
All the best.
Beautiful pictures, Deedee. I like the webs better than I like the spiders, but agree with you that they are amazing creatures.
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I found this blog thru a search for info on ORB spider webs. I have an 'out-house' pet I call Orba who has been constructing and modifying and reconstructing her enormous web nightly by my kitchen slider door. I watch her with a dim kitchen light on. She is so completely industrious. She has been updating her webs for 5 weeks now, sleeping in the center at night and gone during the daytime. The webs are so intricate, sheer and LARGE. 2-1/2 foot circles with tethers in about 8 directions. I'm crazy about her and hope she stays active outside backyard my kitchen entrance forever! (Jo in Bay Area, CA)
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