Everyone, including Marc, had gone to bed, and I went downstairs to clean up our all-purpose room -- old sofa, exercise equipment, train table for the kids, TV, dress-up box, piano, you get the idea. I spotted a spider on the stairs, and even from a distance I could tell it was a strange one. I bent down to get a closer look and saw a spider unlike any I've ever seen. It had roughly the body shape of a black widow, but was strangely bumpy. So I got down on the floor to get an even closer look. My nose was about 6" away from this spider. You see, it was quite a fascinating spider, and it was being very cooperative in not moving as I studied it. I even went to get my camera to document it, but even with the super-macro mode, I just couldn't get close enough to capture its unique bumpiness. (Technically, the camera can shoot up to 0cm away from an object, but I just wasn't willing to test the spider's commitment to staying still.)
After examining the specimen for awhile, I decided it was time to kill it. (I don't mind spiders all that much, but I don't love them being in my home. And, yes, I know they kill other undesirable insects. Sorry, Jess.) I wasn't keen on the idea of just squishing it, because it looked pretty fat and juicy. It's the kind I would normally turn the vacuum on, but I couldn't do that since everyone was asleep. I had the brainstorm of placing an upturned glass over it to trap it until morning, when I could safely vacuum it up. Here's where things got really interesting: as soon as I clapped the glass down, about 20 baby spiders seemed to appear from nowhere!
Now I was really interested. I could only surmise that the babies jumped off the mother's back, and that they were the cause of the bumps I had seen earlier. But as I studied the mother from my newly-magnified vantage point, I could see that her body was still just as bumpy as ever. What was this species? Does she still just have many more babies attached? I couldn't continue on my cleaning quest until I had found some answers.
I peeked into Max's room and found he was still awake! I told him what I had found and he immediately joined the spider adventure. We checked the encyclopedia but it wasn't much help. Then I found a website called www.spiderzrule.com. Jackpot! I didn't find a lot of info on bumpy spiders, but as near as I can tell, I have trapped a mother wolf spider carrying her spiderlings on her back. (Spiderlings! I love learning new words!)
(Incidentally, without the benefit of super-magnification, you can't see the spiderlings' legs poking out inbetween; thus the time spent musing about the nature of the bumps...) Max and I enjoyed watching our prey for awhile, and when I told him of my a.m. vacuum plan, he had a better idea. He thinks we should freeze the spider so his best friend Andrew can use it for the science project he has coming up this year in 6th grade, which involves catching, identifying, and displaying some huge number of different insect specimens. Apparently, now I will be trying to capture this spider tomorrow morning in a container suitable for freezing, and will then have a very unexpected guest residing next to the chicken nuggets and frozen peas.
21 comments:
That is gross. Really, that's about all I have to say about that.
Ew.
uhhh- I think I was too horrified that you were PUTTING YOUR FACE NEXT TO IT.. that I missed whether or not you put something over the top of it?
The whole freezing idea sounds cool, but will it freeze all of the spiderlings?
i guess it does kind of look like a wolf spider. i think i could see little baby spiderlings.
I think you are a great mom! What an adventure to have with Max. The whole searching for information thing is wonderful. I hope, in the face of such danger I can be a mom who helps her children remain curious about the world. In actuality I think I am a freak out mom who creates irrational fears.
So cool! I am not weird about bugs at all and love that Mya likes to follow them around. What a great idea Max had as well to freeze it for his friend. So nice and really cool that he was awake and you two could go on a little internet field trip to learn something new.
spiders don't ususaly freak me out, but this picture is giving me the heebie jeebies.
Gross! Your tale is one I'd never live to tell. I'm always afraid that after I kill a spider that its family and friends will suddendly appear to seek revenge, and this confirms my fear. Although, I'm glad I'm not the only one who must resort to the vacuum to dispose of unwanted arachnids.
That creeps me out to no end. You are much braver than I.
You are brave. I would vote for Andrew's mom keeping the spider in her freezer for the next 6-9 months. I can't imagine kids thinking a year in advance about their science project.
I am repulsed! Eew!
creepy in a very interesting kind of way! LOVE that you got Max! (where was this? it looks like cement stairs.)
Hi. I had to come take a peek on Jill's mention. Brave you. I would not have handled a spider like this well. Please tell me it wasn't as big as this picture represents. AAAAHHHH!!!!!
Okay, I am itching all over!!! I hate and love that you have a picture of this thing (although I am too chicken to look at it - maybe another day). I have the same idea as Emily, believing that that when you kill the spider it screams at pitches unheard by humans to alert all friends and family and they will come to get you later. I also talk to the spiders in my house, telling them to quietly leave or they will be killed (this is my attempt to keep good karma!). I am completely grossed out by your spider adventure!!!!
We had to do that insect project in 4th grade.
Ew.
So... what happened?
I normally just lurk on your blog, (friend of Amy H's) but I had to comment on this one. EWWWW> You are such a GREAT mom, Max must have loved it...it is times like that when I am happy to have 2 girls and I pray they never like to play with spiders. I seriously am freaked out by them!!
I am amazed that you were actually intrigued by the spider, the first thing I do is squish it and then walk around the house with shoes on always. Interesting that the momma spider carries her babies, I love that Max was excited to come and join your late night adventures.
I'm with pam. I would have vacuumed it up even with everyone sleeping. I can't believe you got so close to it. I am totally freaked out by spiders, and even though I read your warning, I continued. Now my skin is feeling like spiders are crawling on it. YUCK! At the same time, I am amazed at your courage and curiosity. Did you succeed in catching it without letting any of the little babies escape? What a scary experience.
EEEWWW!! Are wolf spiders poisonous? Was it there the next morning or did the spiderlings escape? No thank you - I don't do spiders.
usually i would have just fast foward but your narrative skills had me glued until the picture appeared! ahhhhhhhhhh i am ittchy everywhere...
I would have grabbed a shoe and smashed it as hard as I could
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