Arachnids - a spider-lover's moral issue

dwest · Post by **dwest** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:07 pm

My wife likes all spiders but has a particular affection for jumpers, she was very pleased with a house spider the other day that had captured numerous house flies. She used to be be scared of all spiders, pająks, as most of her family still is. But once she learned a bit about their biology she made an about face. I use to collect and raise widows and brown recluses for research use, I had jars all over the house, she soon ignored them. Using a book to kill any terrestrial arthropod is a crime though.

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:45 pm

dwest wrote:My wife likes all spiders but has a particular affection for jumpers, she was very pleased with a house spider the other day that had captured numerous house flies. She used to be be scared of all spiders, pająks, as most of her family still is. But once she learned a bit about their biology she made an about face. I use to collect and raise widows and brown recluses for research use, I had jars all over the house, she soon ignored them. Using a book to kill any terrestrial arthropod is a crime though.

I like jumping spiders.

I discovered them during a period when I spent most of my time outdoors. Relaxing one evening, I noticed a tiny spider on my hand.

When I held up my hand to examine the little beastie, she quickly ascended a fingertip.

As I watched her, she suddenly appeared on the adjacent fingertip, having jumped so quickly, it was more as though she'd dematerialized from one fingertip and instantly materialized on the other fingertip (not quite like Chucky and Aaron; they materialize and dematerialize when you happen to be looking the other way for a moment).

I experimented by spreading my fingers and watched her jump back and forth from one fingertip to the next. She could quite nonchalantly jump an impressive distance relative to her size.

Since then, I've noticed these same spiders in an assortment of sizes up to the size of a fingertip (not counting the legs), which would be 20 or so times as big as the first one I noticed.

Best wishes,
Jerry

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:23 am

If I saw a spider jump at me I would freak out.

I did see a teeny spider this morning while putting my shoes on. In honour of Steve I let it live, maybe the cat will get it while I'm gone.

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:57 am

I found one dead on my side of the bed when I peeled the covers back this morning. All squashed it was. The silly little bugger. Now I feel devastated.

djm · Post by **djm** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:50 am

That'll teach yer ta eat onions before going to bed.

djm

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:17 am

SteveShaw wrote:Now I feel devastated.

the Fates have such a strange sense of humour....

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:57 am

I think I'm going to blame my wife for momentarily rolling on to my side of the bed. I just can't live with this conscience.

I.D.10-t · Post by **I.D.10-t** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 10:01 am

Reminds me of the time I pulled my shoe off and saw all of the legs of a centipede clinging to my sock. It's body now squished and absorbed into the sock.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 10:17 am

I.D.10-t wrote:Reminds me of the time I pulled my shoe off and saw all of the legs of a centipede clinging to my sock. It's body now squished and absorbed into the sock.

For being a predator, your basic house centipede is amazingly fragile.

I like jumping spiders, too. For me they're a whole different category unto themselves, like they've gone beyond mere spiderality. I get a sense of intelligence and lively curiosity about them unlike other spiders, who are mere wetware automatons by comparison. Even their shuffling gait is different, amusing and sort of nonthreatening. Well, I think so, anyway. I honestly don't mind a jumping spider on me. A "regular" spider: *shudder*.

dwest · Post by **dwest** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 10:31 am

I.D.10-t wrote:Reminds me of the time I pulled my shoe off and saw all of the legs of a centipede clinging to my sock. It's body now squished and absorbed into the sock.

Not as bad as the time my wife and I were sitting on the stoop one night with our sandals kicked off on the step below us. When we decided to head in I slipped my foot into my right sandal only to feel/find a very large, and now eviscerated, terrestrial Pulmonata gastropod wedged between my toes and the thong strap. That slime doesn't just wash off.

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 4:10 pm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6972062.stm

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 4:51 pm

Typical Texas. Everything just has to be bigger and better.

dwest · Post by **dwest** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:04 pm

SteveShaw wrote:Typical Texas. Everything just has to be bigger and better.

Hey! don't make fun of my President's inner cranial vacuum!