Ahhh...what a beautiful night. It has cooled off nicely after a hot, humid day. Looking up at the full moon and watching a sky full of a million twinkling stars, this little spider began to think about the chores for the day ahead. It will be light in a few hours, and I have a lot of things on my 'to do' list. After a few more hours of rest, relaxation and planning, I was ready for the new day. After stretching each of my eight legs and yawning a big, long, satisfying yawn, I'm ready to get going. Oh look, my breakfast is ready. Right here on my web. After filling my tummy with delicious treats from the bug buffet, I needed to concentrate on mending the loose silk on my precious web. The air was already feeling pretty humid, I think it is going to be another hot day here in UP Michigan. It is August. But I must keep up with the maintenance of my home no matter the temperature or the weather.
I spy, with one of my eyes, the lady of the house heading my way. I built my house in one of her plant boxes under the front windows of her home. She is dragging a garden hose...good news to cool off, bad news that she might use a higher power setting and just blow me and my web right out of here. But, good news, she lays the hose on the ground under the low evergreens that are below the plant box, to give them a good soak. Then, she reaches up and starts picking around the flowers in my plant box. From my closer than I like, viewing position, she appears to be deadheading the flowers that are now dried and swiveled and are past their beautiful glory days. This plant box is planted with Nasturtiums, Marigolds, Alyssum, a tall spike, some flowing Vinca Vines, a few Begonias and some Yellow Gerber Daisies. The Marigolds have a strong smell, but the rest of the plants only have a faint lovely aroma, which I prefer. I am particularly fond of the Nasturtiums. They come in so many beautiful fall colors. Light and dark oranges, yellows, reds and combinations of all of those colors. They are edible, have fun shaped leaves and produce an attractive round ball that is their seed.
I do wander off of my web occasionally to take a break from my web design, to check out all of the beautiful plants. I also wander about to check and make sure that any other spiders or bugs that are present, are just traveling through...not thinking that they can stay for longer than a visit. If they are courteous and respect my presence, which I immediately make known, I don't mind that they are stopping off for a while to enjoy the beautiful plants. But, if they happen to be a spider and they are thinking about taking up residency in my plant box, I will hide in the flowers and allow them to start weaving a web and then I will go in and cut all of their threads and they will sail off into the wild blue yonder. Other bugs, I allow to stay for a while and then I go over and shoo them away.
One day, as a game, I started counting the developing seeds that the lovely Nasturtiums are producing. I began to count them each day just to make sure that they were all there. Also, I add to the count any new seeds that had developed. And, for a long time, each time I would count, they would all be present and accounted for.
One morning, after breakfast and before starting my mending chores, I counted and recounted my precious seeds and discovered that there were a few missing. Looking down to the ground, I realized that when the seeds become large enough, their weight would put strain on the stem, and they would fall to the ground.
I decided that my new job was to wind my silky threads around each of the precious seeds to keep them securely in my plant box. It did take me quite a while to find each seed and create the silk and wrap each one with its own safety line. It was kind of fun discovering a new purpose for my weaving and my tying skills.
After doing that, I was happy knowing that all of the remaining seeds would be with me for the season...UNTIL...the lady of the house discovered the seeds. The Nasturtiums seeds look like wrinkly little bee bees. They are so fun to discover, touch and hold in your hand to further examine. While the hose was running down below, she decided to start not only deadheading the flowers that were past their glory days...but also started picking my precious seeds. She would find one and pick it with her right hand and then place it in her left hand to collect. I obviously did not tie my silk line on all of the seeds. She was able to just reach in and pick them. Oh well...
I wandered off to the side of the plant box so as to not to alert her to the fact that I was living there. The next seed that she went after looked like it was a goner...right hand picked the seed...transferred it to her left hand...and then to my peeking pleasure, BOING...it recoiled right back into place. My silk threads had worked...I was so proud of my work. But she did not give up. Plucked the same seed...right hand to left hand and it flew out of her hand again. But this time, it landed on a tall evergreen that is planted right next to the plant box. I can swing over and retrieve the seed later...no problem But, she must have thought that a third time would be the charm and went in again for the seed. With renewed effort, she plucked the seed, and it went from her right hand to the left hand and did not recoil this time. My thread was broken. It broke my little heart. Even though this is her house, these are her plant boxes and these are her plants, I just wanted to live here and collect those special seeds. After plucking a few more seeds, she looked pleased and wandered off to another part of her gardens.
Initially, I was mad, then sad and then I generally go into my best phase...strategizing. I think I have a new plan to save my seeds. I will pluck them when they are ready to detach and bury them in the dirt of the plant box. This way, I get to keep them, know where they are and quite possibly...they will grow into more colorful Nasturtiums for all to enjoy.
This plan allows me to reclaim my time to devote to my main responsibility...tending to my web. The seeds are kind of tricky to lasso and then tie up securely enough to not allow them to fall to the ground. Now that I know that the determined lady of the house will just keep plucking the seeds until she is satisfied - I realize that my initial plan was futile. So, after untying all of the remaining seeds and burying them in the dirt...I finally feel like I can begin mending my web home.
This all works...I get to hold and play with my favorite seeds, bury them in the warm, moist soil and watch them grow into beautiful flowers with more seeds. And she won't be as keen coming over to look for them...when she can't find any. Finally...they are all mine. All snug and warm right here in my plant box, right under my web...the way it should be. On with today's work. OH NO, here she comes with the hose again...it's shower time...hang on...Ahhhh..that actually felt pretty good on this hot day. Thanks lady of the house. Now, go away and let this little spider get on with its daily work.
