Black Widow Spiders
Although Halloween is still some months away, I might already prepare my broom. My flying lessons might continue , meanwhile practicing some swiping skills, won’t be an overdone luxury. One thing is clear, around our cabin ,it’s spider time!. And we have quite some! Not the simple ones, -no of course we get it all…The Black Widow spider. Mostly I see them in every hole we dig in our yard. Not filled with dirt immediately; the next day the hole will be occupied by a messy web complete with one or even more spiders. The most spiders I see are Black widows in all stages. Female , young ones or the much smaller and less dangerous males. Yes dangerous they are, well when I grab into them and disturb them.They are not aggressive by themselves and will not jump out of their web into my face. Though…the first thing I taught myself when I came in the USA was not to grab anything without thinking. In a hurry or not; always be prepared.Yep I sometimes make the mistake to grab a coffee cup while cooking and get stung by a wasp..though when it comes by picking some of the ground, shelves, or out of whatever, I always do it carefully. Especially when I see only a few spiderweb silk threads. I can clean it all up and the next hour you won’t see it I cleaned in this environment. Wasn’t it the stardust, the sand,the pollen ,also in a blink of an eye there will be a new spiderweb.I think the Black widow spiderwebs are so messy for no reason. Okay this last one I made up. No clue! Strong they are! Collecting some spiderwebs on a broom or brush gives such a strong fiber-ish substance, I might create a bungee cord. Anyway I’m not afraid of them and some are on places that don’t bother me, though I have to think about others, like my doggies. These Black widows in all stages, are on and under the metal rim at the outside of the cabin that is built on a trailer.They certainly have find their good hiding place and I won’t noticed them when they didn’t betray themselves due their messy webs that I clean up as much as possible..I imagine what could be down under the cabin trailer, in the open space..I have seen a lot creatures coming out of there when we opened up one of the metal wall boards. Unless hubby really needs to look/-check on, for some electric wiring (we don’t use now!) I refuse to let him do that. Better safe than using the light bulbs in the cabin that might have questionable wiring due critter bites in the walls. Nope, it’s not going to happen by him..Period!
And then this one… The Cat-faced spider .I admit when I saw this creature hanging under the roof at the back porch, I had to research what it was. It was beautiful, but if poisonous I didn’t want it was hanging above my head with every step I took to outside. Glad for her I did. She was allowed to hang where she was.The whole summer she is hanging at the obviously good spot for her . I saw her catching a big Cicade and it was kinda amazing to watch. After some time I saw two other much smaller hanging in webs not that far from her. Now reading the edu page I wonder if those were male or her kids. Suddenly they were gone while mom was growing. Maybe eaten Ha! Oh well..spider as long as you keep your business yours, you can hang there..if not you’re out!
Tanja Thomas 'Wild at Last' Photographer, Attentive Nature and Wildlife Observer 
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