Sunday safari....spiders and their webs.
W
hen I was a child I always knew when there was a spider in the house. Mothers screams could be heard for miles :) Father would always stop what he was doing and go to her aid. I would follow, watching him scoop the spider up and take it into the garden.
I learned to like spiders. Despite the fact mother did not like them, she loved showing me their webs in the garden. She would write poetry about their artwork, often with a romantic theme.
Yesterday morning when the garden was shrouded in mist, and the sun was trying its best to come out from behind the clouds, I walked the garden looking for webs. I was not disappointed.
The garden was full of these wonderful creations.
Spiders are near the top of the invertebrate food chain. They are a valuable asset to any garden.
There are many species of birds who are partial to spiders and a healthy population will prove a bonus to Dunnocks, Robins, Thrushes and Wrens. All these species are regular visitors to this garden.
So next time you see a spider please spare it. Just a glass over the top, a thin piece of card slipped underneath and you can transport the spider to the garden :)
I leave you with the phrase that my father would say to me each time we removed a spider from the house:
"If you wish to live and thrive,
Let a spider run alive."
Poppi and Riley know this rhyme, and both put house spiders in the garden for Mummy........
Happy Sunday safari
20 comments:
Lovely photos Cheryl. Like you I never kill a spider but catch them and put them outside having been taught at an early age that it was bad luck to kill them and now of course I don't kill anything believing in live and let live!! The other day a young woman on the bus stooped to catch and release a wasp from the floor and I was quite shocked at the number of elderly ladies (my generation) who said that they would have stepped on it and killed it! I was with the young woman on this one of course.
Hi Jane,
Me to. I never kill anything.
I believe everything is here for a reason and I have no right to end the life of any small creature etc.
Love that story....
Last year whilst on holiday in Spain I was in a restaurant with family. A preying mantis had entered the dining area and the waitress was trying to swat it.
Poppi and I rushed to help the mantis. I managed to capture it in my cupped hands and release it into a shrubbery. I went back to much applause, which was slightly embarassing. Apart from one elderly gent, they all said they would have killed it.
So sad.......
Hi Cheryl - aren't those pictures beautiful! Their webs are so intricate. I haven't heard that saying before.
I must admit to being terrified of the very large spiders you often find in the house, but I would never kill them, I just hope they wander off where I can't see them. I found a large one floating after I'd added water to my mop bucket yesterday morning. I thought it must surely be dead as the water was quite hot. I fished it out with the mop and it lay in a soggy pile. It presumably did this until it thought I was no longer watching, then scurried off to the edge of the room. It then extended all of its legs against the skirting board, almost as if it was trying to cool down. It stayed like that for about 30 minutes, then went about its business.
I think it's wrong to kill creatures just because you are afraid of them, or simply don't appreciate that they have a life and a purpose too.
Dan
-x-
Hi Dan,
I think a lot of people are frightened of spiders. They move quickly, their long legs, and they are not pretty. But as you rightly say they should have a life and they do have a purpose.
For me personally, they are part of the intricate collection of creatures that brings balance to this wildlife garden......
BTW loved your spider story and glad to read that it lived to see another day :)
Nice story, and beautiful photos. Spiders are maybe a little creepy to most humans, but when you think about it, they are amazing animals. My little granddaughter Aja used to call the "biders" and was very scared of them. Now, she seems to like them. Art
Hi Art,
I do so love to hear that children accept them.
'Biders'......cute.
Cheryl to the rescue. Most spiders around here are safe. They get trasnported out when they get into the bath tub. I don't mind them. During winter they are sometimes my only entertainment. Love all of your web photos. Happy Sunday Safari.
P.S. We got 1/4" of rain last night. YAY!!! Now maybe we will get some more.
Hi Lisa,
I am so pleased that you got some rain at last. I was thinking of you this morning and sending you rain wishes :)
I just knew you would be kind to spiders.
Beautiful spiderweb shots. Love what you said about the spiders:)
Dear Dear Cheryl,
Oh my!! you have captured the most beautiful...exquisite and amazing photographs...gorgeous...more beautiful than diamonds...or pearls..
oh wow...I love your work.....
Your eye is the eye of the artist....
I love spiders too...we also catch and release but I have a few spider friends that help with cricket and moth control they live in the basement...old friends....
I love this safari. Helping people understand that all of life has value...
showing the beauty. I think spiders are gorgeous....you are amazing...
thank you from the spiders,
Sherry
what incredibly lovely shots. I love the way you chose to show them.
Dear Sherry,
Thank you for your kind words. I am humbled by your comment.
I love the story of the spider in the basement keeping control of moths and crickets......if only others would see what spiders have to offer.....
Your images of the webs fabulous and I love what your dad taught you!If I see a spider indoors I carry it outside...not in my bare hands in a kleenex..bit of a scardy.
Hi Anna,
Kleenex or not, well done for saving the spiders :o)
Thanks for the visit Cheryl. Love your photos and garden/wildlife stories. Indeed that Royal Dragonfly is amazing. It's almost Spring here, leaves are springing forth greenly. I actually love Autumn the most myself, but must admit, Spring does a good job of coming second!! Take care
LG
Such lovely photos, Cheryl! I used to be rather squeamish about insects, especially any kind of worm, but spiders never bothered me. I enjoy seeing their "artwork" and love to watch the orb spiders spin their webs. Thanks for the clever trick about taking one outside!
What a sweet rhyme! I like that. We always spared spiders too and just let them outside.
You've got some stunning web pics, Cheryl, so intricate and gauzy-looking.
Happy Sunday Safari
Rainy sessions are best time to capture photographs of spiders. I also collected same way. I never kill a spider but catch them and put them outside.
christian counseling
i love this message on saving spiders..I shall now catch and release rather than ignore..no I never kill them just walk away.Loved your fathers words!
Hello cheryl,
Its me, I'm back!
Our garden is full of webs and the last two mornings have been misty so that they have become magical.. as ever, your photography captures it so beautifully.
My little boy (who is 2 and two-thirds now, would you believe!) loves the little creatures, especially spiders and he helps to put them out the cat flap 'so they can find their way home'.
Good to see you again xx
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