Thursday-Hang in There–

The important thing
is not to stop questioning.

Curiosity has its own
reason for existing.

One cannot help but be in awe
when he contemplates the mysteries

of eternity,
of life,
of the marvelous structure of reality.

It is enough if one tries merely
to comprehend a little of this mystery
every day.

Never lose a holy curiosity.

-Albert Einstein

My bug book does not include this spider. I am guessing some form of Micrathena, as that is the only spiny spider included. (Micrathena: “little and wise”.)

These spiders are insanely hard to photograph properly. The camera wants to zoom in on those crazy threatening spikes and throws everything else out of focus. I’d been trying all summer.

The spiders themselves don’t make my job any easier, they are always very very busy spinning and fixing up their webs. They are also strangely aware of my approach and go running off when they see me coming with my infernal camera, or turn their backs on me; deterring me with the implied threat of their fierce armour.

I am fascinated by their spikes. I wonder if I were to close my hand on their abdomen, if it feels the way it looks- solid, prickly. I wonder if the spikes are strictly a visual threat, or if it hurts a bird’s throat if they were to swallow it. Like the choke on a artichoke.

Also, the stripe pattern appears to be grooved. How would this feel to the touch? Like the rings on a newly cut tree?

I have hundreds of pictures of these guys- hanging around, spinning webs, dismantling webs, wrapping up prey. I have pictures where you can see them shooting the silk from their spinners. But I couldn’t convince the dang camera to focus on their faces. It became sort of a quest. The Holy Grail of the elusive eyes.

I like to have nice shots of spiders’ eyes. I don’t know why. I like forging that connection, I guess. That’s why I continue to inflict Hang in There Thursdays on everyone.

Spiders are the good guys, and they’re not so scary. See, look into their eyes. Eyes are the window into the soul, after all. We all have souls, we are all connected, and the fate of the spider has impact on the fates of us all.

Or something like that.

Anyway, this one was a lesson in be careful what you wish for:

Yikes!

We’ll call this one our Halloween spider.
Is she creepy or what?