With apologies to any visitors who suffer from arachnophobia, I happen to love my garden spiders - and they are my topic for today.
I enjoy seeing the many kinds of spiders that inhabit our garden, and will even allow black widows to go about their business undisturbed, so long as they don't try to move into my potting shed - but the harmless golden orb spiders are definitely my favorites, and I am always particularly happy whenever one or more of them chooses our place to set up web-keeping.
I know how it sounds, but I feel that I have developed mutually respectful relationships with several of these bold beauties over the years (or maybe I Just read Charlotte's Web once too often when I was young, lol).
We aren't lucky enough to attract a resident orb spider every year, but when we do, they (and their strong and expansive webs) seem to appear overnight, and since they invariably choose to build across my walkways, our first encounter usually involves me getting a faceful of spider silk and suddenly transforming into a squeaking, flailing fool (are spiders capable of laughter ?).
After repeating the ordeal once or twice, I can finally remember to begin to carry a small stick of some sort so that I can clear the path with a minimum of random calisthentics and drama. But I always feel a pang of guilt to destroy any part of the spider's construct, especially knowing that their goal of removing some fat, juicy bugs from my garden is very much in my best interest, anyway. Whenever I must clear some webbing, I truly try to disturb the integrity of the structure as little as is absolutely necessary, endeavoring only to create an archway that I can pass through - and in nice weather, I do a good deal of tramping back and forth through my garden, so I might need to "modify" the poor spider's web several times a day.
Interestingly enough, our orb spiders eventually seem to catch on to the idea that this large and leg-deficient (and rather annoying) critter is quite persistant and will have to be accommodated - one way or another - and the opening required for my passage seems to become part of the spider's own design.
I'm not sure that it means that they like me as well as I like them, but at least it means that we can co-exist and go about our respective chores placidly.
If you have already seen my post A Metal Menagerie: http://bohemianborealis.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-metal-menagerie.html you know that the theme of spiders is a recurrant one in our garden.
These spiders in the photos below are also from our own workshop and they serve a needful purpose in our garden (in addition to simply making me smile whenever I see them). The presence of these big copper spiders on glass surfaces (doors, windows, glasshouse walls) has dramatically decreased the incidence of bird crashes and injuries., that is one of the reasons why we have so many of them.
This next one is a version crafted from bits of stainless steel, she is heavier and requires more support than the simple suction cups which suffice for her copper sisters, so she stands guard on our little porch, beside the back door, where we can provide for her needs.
Thanks for visiting, I do hope that you will stop by again soon ~ Ellie
No comments:
Post a Comment