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August 4, 2006
Surfing the Web
We have unintentionally taken in a boarder -- a garden orb spider has taken up residence outside our home. We've been watching her closely. We have to -- because sometimes she builds her web clear across our walkway. It takes a lot to rattle me and I am not a squeamish person, but the one thing that can shake me to the core is a spider. Don't ask me why. I realize they're generally harmless, but they freak me out nonetheless! However, I have become very curious about this spider and have learned some very interesting spider facts. For instance, she spins the web after dark, usually around 9:00 at night, but it's always gone by morning. What happens to the web? I found out that this particular kind of a spider (a garden orb spider) eats the web and whatever has been caught in the web before dawn. The web is, in itself, a source of protein. (Myself, I prefer chicken!) The web is tremendous -- sometimes spanning up to 4 feet! How, I wondered, does the spider do that? Apparently, they start by building a "y" shape.
I love that we refer to the internet as "the web." And, the fact that my garden orb spider begins her web with a "y," or as we say, a "why" just tickles my funnybone!
Posted by Michele at August 4, 2006 1:08 PM
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