
I know it’s tacky virtue signaling to put heroic acts online, but some discoveries must be shared.
This morning I discovered something terrible: A spider had built a web from the fire escape leading from my flat and across the garden gate, meaning I couldn’t get out my gate to the shed. It was an impressive web too, with many circles of silver thread and many flies caught – including a number of mosquitoes, who are, quite frankly, bastards. I didn’t want to ruin this spider’s good work.
However, I needed to get my spade from the shed, so I tried to see if there was another way – leapfrog over the fence? No, will end in broken nose. Limbo under the web? No, I have no limbo skills and will only end up destroying it anyway. How about just moving one end of the web to the other side of the gate? A crazy idea, but it might just work!
So I moved my arm into the threads so that they caught on my hoody, lifted them and wrapped them around the other post of the gate. And they stayed! And they’re still there now! I didn’t even know that was possible! I’m practically a spider myself.
UPDATE…
Turns out it’s not possible.
When I went back later, the had web broken.
There’s still enough of it up that the spider should be able to salvage the flies that he’d caught, but he’ll have to build a whole new web.
I am no hero.
Spiders….beautiful webs.
I had taken the comforter out of the AirBnB room and tossed it on the railing to air. Took it off yesterday and there was a HUGE spider on the underside.
Ish.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eek!
LikeLike
I don’t think you broke it. I bet the spider didn’t like the new design, so he trashed it.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I never knew spiders were so fussy! π
LikeLiked by 1 person
You tried. You are a hero π
LikeLiked by 3 people
Aw thanks! π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh drats, I liked the comment (because I believe it is true, that at least you tried) and then remembered Yoda “Do or deo not, there is no try” {{{GIGGLING}}} oooh no way, look at the time I must “Try” to get to work on time!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I actually arrived five minutes early during hand over.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re just the kind of efficient go-getter the workplace needs! π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yer think? It could be that I’ve taken on board the Japanese “Kanban” for my own life. I know I’ve definitely taken on the KonMari for sorting out clients clothes. It’s just so much easier to find what we’re looking for and you get more time to smile and encourage pleasant thoughts when you’re not having to rummage in higgledy-piggledy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Welcome π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spiders live in on our car’s wing mirrors; even though I damage the driver’s side web most days I drive it’s always back to normal when I return, even a couple of hours later! My advice? Don’t worry — they will survive; remember Robert the Bruce’s pet arachnid.
LikeLiked by 2 people
π they do survive! I think I anthropomorphize by imagining how proud I’d be if I’d made a web like that! π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spiders in the wing mirrors is a regular, what isn’t is finding a small snail in my bra, FFS a snail!!! and yes it was still alive. It can only happen to me.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I am at a loss for words, I don’t even have a witty pun up my sleeve!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I would gladly swap a witty pun up my sleeve for what I endured (well the snail couldn’t have been too happy being carted around in there either).
LikeLiked by 3 people
Does it help if I say I found a cockroach in my hair? It must have been there a while too (although is less slimy than a snail, I’ll grant you.)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes it does, thank you friend. Although I have to admit the first time I saw a cockroach I was so happy and had no idea what it was with all the connotations. They really are beautiful creatures ( well apart from the diseases they carry).
LikeLiked by 3 people
They ARE gorgeous! Glossy dark red and streamlined, like a fancy car.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The ones I saw were brown with intricate pattern but I got to see too many of them in my first working women’s hostel to have any love left for them. I had gone hungry quite a few nights after the crude sight
LikeLiked by 1 person
Going hungry, now there’s a horrible memory that we all must try to make sure it doesn’t happen all over the world, due to climate change! ~ (I recently watch a YouTube of Roger Hallam in Swansea)
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree, Over Soil… I will check out the video too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
He is one passionate being and I saw something somewhere to say he has been on hunger strike recently.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally understand that feeling. Insects can take over, make you feel like they rule your space.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have either of you Lovelies heard of Mary’s Meals, now that’s one beautiful helping hands that I am glad to help with (I source rucksacks and contents for the kids). Amyways Shaily, if you are going to watch a YouTube, please check out Mary’s Meals too. Thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hadn’t, but it looks great, so I shall look further into it now… π
LikeLiked by 1 person
p.s. I know there’s a religious overtone to the original stuff, but heck I’m not going to hold that against it at all, for feeding kids is feeding kids. Same as whatever it takes to convince others not to eat cows, sheep… well the cows and sheep don’t mind, as long as they don’t get murdered and eaten. Anyways, there’s that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful picture, Petra. Just to save you the guilt, if you can see the web, the spider has already deserted it. You see, the whole trick is to keep the web invisible so that insects can’t see it and get trapped. So, if you can see it, they can too. Hence the spider must be dining elsewhere already.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Brilliant! Thank you! Such a wise one π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey, you tried instead of just obliterating the web or (worse) killing the spider. The spider still had some flies in the web and he can build a new one!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, that helps π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice reassurance from Shaily – I didn’t know this. And I love your negative image experiments with your photo – I adore playing like this! Sometimes they are a way into a painting too :>)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am painting it! because you’re right, it can be exciting to see the colours unexpected, while the shadows still capture the shape. I’ll post up when/if I finish it and it goes ok. π
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, please share. Exciting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
π
LikeLike