Sunday 21 September 2014

charlotte's web

                          a  local resident, though not Charlotte




This afternoon I spent a half hour watching a spider spin it's web.  I was in our dining room and the late afternoon sunlight caught the spider just beginning her silky creation.  

While both males and females spin webs, I've named this spinner 'Charlotte'.

We already have two residents suspended between our deck railing and a potted  evergreen tree, cryptomeria Japonica 'Rasen', but the initial silk thread of this adventurous lass has spanned at least 4 feet from 'Rasen' to a hawthorn branch.

When I started watching, she was in constant movement from the centre outwards and then in again, forming the 'spokes'.  After this framework was spun, she began the outward circles.  Much later, she positioned herself in the centre, awaiting dinner.

Starting my Google spider web search, I found a Wikipedia article which says that 'spider webs have existed for at least 100 million years, as witnessed in a rare find of Early Cretaceous amber from Sussex, southern England.'

Delving more deeply, I clicked on a beautiful photograph of a dew-draped web.  This led to a detailed article by Damir Beciri.  In his article Secrets of spider web design, Beciri investigates the materials produced by spiders.  'Although webs seem as if they were made out of a same material, one web contains multiple silk types. For example, viscid silk is stretchy, wet and sticky, and it is the silk that winds out in increasing spirals from the web center, while dragline silk is stiff and dry, and it serves as the threads that radiate out from a web’s center, providing structural support. Dragline silk is crucial to the mechanical behavior of the web.'


                                  this is not Charlotte


Continuing my internet search, I found that there is now a spider app. The 'Spider in Da House' app has been launched as the creatures become more active during the autumn mating season.  It is 'to help arachnophobes identify the creepy-crawlies they find at home.'

From Australia,  the news that 'Spiders Growing Bigger in Cities, say Experts'.  Researchers find some spiders thrive when living near humans and reproduce faster.

Not to be outdone by the Aussies, this week's Manchester Evening News continues headlining the spider, warning that our mild summer could bring bigger eight-legged creatures into our home.  

And finally, my favourite, there is a website spiderzrule.com  'the best site in the world for spider info!!'



5 comments:

  1. A very entertaining blog, Jackie! No talking pigs involved I hope... Taking the time to watch a spider spin its web is a great example of the old adage - Stop and Smell the Roses. Our lives are moving so fast that the most we often do is brush the cobwebs hanging from trees from our faces as we rush to yet another meeting. or event. Thanks for the reminder to Stop and Watch the Spider Spin a Web!

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  2. Reading your blog, I see that your tarantula experience has changed you.

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  3. I'm feeling bereft. 4 large webs and their creators have disappeared with the rainfall. All that remains are the initial silk strands from the trees. I hope they don't take refuge in the house!

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  4. from Robert Hass, "Field Guide"

    Don't worry, spiders,
    I keep house
    casually.

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  5. I will read the "spiderzrule" website for more info. It's always handy when someone else does your research.

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