A New Topic Presents Itself

It is just as I feared. As soon as I announce the topics I hope to write about when time permits, I take my morning walk and a whole new topic is laid before me. Laced among the trees actually- spider webs. More exactly, the incredible beauty of spider webs on a “misty, moisty, morning”. The miracle of time that is also presenting itself this morning is brought to you by that “misty, moisty” part. We had an outdoor Salt Marsh program scheduled for 9:00, but the skies opened up around 4 am and it is misting still, so its cancellation was inevitable and this window of time seems exactly like a gift from above. It will wreak havoc with the future schedule as we must find free days where there are none, but for now, I see it as God letting some air out of a balloon that was about to pop. Something He has done so consistently in my life. Thank you God.

Then His creation was all glory this morning, so let’s talk about it. You have noticed them surely, on drizzly days, the webs of spiders are bejeweled with raindrops, so that every strand is made visible and in a glance you can guess which type of spider has made it. As soon as I entered the woods, the classic Orb Weaving Spider design was everywhere.
Suspended between oak leaves, knitting together dead branches and why so many, and none as big as they usually get? Because it is Fall, and all those darling little spiderlings have hatched recently, and are now here casting their nets for breakfast in the tried and true way that has worked for many in the Arachnid family down through the ages. Not all spiders use a web, but the Orb weavers, that include that beautiful Black and Yellow Garden Spider you may be familiar with, do.
The web itself spun as strong as steel is made in glands in their body and played out through their spinnerets. The circular strands that make the orb are nice and sticky to trap the victim, but the radial strands are not, so the spider may go and collect its meal without getting stuck itself.

When I got to the railroad tracks, the black gravel along the embankment was covered with Funnel Spider webs. You have most likely seen these also..
Close to the ground, on your grass, or low bushes, or in this case on the rocks, it features a spread out, flat web that actually isn't sticky and a funnel towards the back of it where, said Funnel Spider hangs out, waiting to see who is coming to dinner. Peer in to look at it and it will scoot further back into the tunnel, touch the web gently on the edge or middle and it may come out to see if dinner has arrived.

I didn’t spot any “Bowl and Doily” spiders today, but they are around and you may have seen one.
Thier web is a two-part affair, one part inverted “bowl” and under that the “doily”. The little brown spider hangs between the two, on the underside, so it can watch for an approaching “insect du jour” without becoming someone else’s Blue Plate Special. When a hapless victim comes along, the spider can bite it through the webbing, then go do the spider version of wrapping it in its silken equivalent to Saran wrap to save it for snacking on at another time.

Not all spiders do use webs though, and around here, it is pretty easy to find some member of the Jumping Spiders scurrying along under the pine litter or the wrack at the marsh. These spiders rely on their good eyesight and leapabilty to capture their meals. And man, with eight eyes they have a good track record of “getting their man”, and you have to admit that they are pretty darn cute when seen in enlarged pictures.


Pray for rain then, a drizzly, smizzly sort of rain that will let you know just how many spiders share your yard and paths with you, the way new fallen snow is a dead give away to where the mice play at night. Then if you are blessed with the gift of time, you too can have your regular plans altered in a most delightful way, as I did. Thank you God, it was a real case of seeing the “unseen”. Now, to attend to all those other backed up chores. Also a gift, if I get them done.