Sunday, August 31, 2008

Lucy, Edmund and the Monster Moth

Meet Lucy. She is our 7 legged Golden Orb Weaver that has taken residence in our azalea bushes. We’re not sure whether the 8th leg never developed or if she had maybe lost it in combat against the White Witch or some similar struggle. (Can you tell in which world and books Devan resides nowadays?)

I never thought these words would cross my lips regarding a spider, but: SHE IS BEAUTIFUL! She is indeed a great source of entertainment and education to us. (She is also the only bit of female company to me on our premises and therefore deserves my special interest and applaus.)

A few weeks ago Lucy wasn’t feeling very well. She had lost a lot of weight and was barely hanging on - literally. She neglected to repair her web, didn’t eat, didn't move. Call me weird, but I was preparing to mourn the death of a friend.

BUT
then she fortunately caught this unfortunate MonsterMoth in her web and after she feasted (and instantaneously gained significant weight) she returned to her be her spunky spidery self.


Now during her period of low energy, there was this little annoying brown spider that kept bothering her. At first we thought that it was a (her) spiderling. No, we’ve not seen an egg sack yet and the prediction is that she will have hundreds of babies (brave woman.) Then I thought it was a cannibal spider coming to devour her in her vulnerable state :-/. Well, we came to find out that it was actually the male!!! She did her best to shoo him (Devan says his name is Edmund) away with her unpaired leg, but he was persistent!!!

Well, since the event of the moth and since she has regained strength, Edmund is much more cautious. He keeps a respectful distance and approaches only when summoned (OK, I made that last part up)

I’m not sure what or when Edmund eats, but he never even attempts to have dinner with Lucy. I think he knows better – some sources suggest that he might
end up being dinner himself! But this moth was so big that he went to hide on the other side of the moth for a stolen bite.

Here Lucy is eating a fly (Scott hates flies in the house and they drive him nuts, but now he delights in feeding them to Lucy.)


Now I must make it clear that I love Lucy in her web. Should there be any attempt by a boy to relocate her into the house, I will surely freak out. In this house there is space for only one queen, and it is me. Sorry Lucy.
A close-up of Lucy's Amazing Web. I did not appreciate it until we watched her do some home improvement. An accomplished craftsman she is indeed!

2 comments:

  1. Another example of why i LOVE your blog! Such a fun window into your corner of the world. I must confess i would want Lucy in someone else's yard but you are after all the queen of a tribe of males so may God continue to build your bravery in the face of men and the monsters they love :-)

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  2. Oh my, I'm going to have to stop coming here. First dissected frogs and now monster spiders!

    See you guys Friday.

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Make my day: add to my therapy with your words:-)