Spiders I Have Known
Today was a rather sad day, in some ways. I finally had to get rid of the spider that was living in the corner in my bathroom. On the one hand, I was quite sad, as I'd become accustomed to her hanging out there. On the other hand, I couldn't wait to get the vacuum out, as her web was getting quite large, and so was she, for that matter. Plus, it looked like she had a nice batch of eggs waiting to hatch. So the other day I decided it was time for her - and her offspring-to-be - to go.
As she tends to spend a lot of time away from the web, I decided to wait to vacuum it up until I actually caught her at home. That happened, unexpectedly, this afternoon. Normally Mrs. Spider doesn't spend much time in the web during the day. I usually catch her that at night, but it's normally too late to fire the vacuum up. So Judy, you'll be pleased to know that she and her babies are now residing in the depths of my vacuum cleaner, and it's once again safe to use the bathroom!
Rest in peace, Mrs. Spider and family...
In other spider news, I had taken the dogs out for a bathroom break one day last weekend. As I walked by the swing, I just happened to catch a glint of something out of the corner of my eye. It turned out to be a beautiful, pristine, delicate spider web, with a very tiny spider in the middle. I took a lot of pictures, not expecting good results as the sun and the web were at awkward angles, but I managed to have one turn out beautifully. Here it is:
Charlotte's Web
I also got some pictures of a weed that was growing out back. It had the most beautiful tiny pink flowers, and even though it was very windy, I managed to capture a couple of good macro shots. I particularly love the way the stamen in the first shot look like little pink-and-white striped witch's stockings!
Witch's Stockings!
Pretty Pink Weed
I am just waiting for laundry to finish before I head to bed. Doing the laundry gave me a bit of a turn today. I had bought two sets of sheets awhile ago - a lovely apple green set, and a pale yellow set. I've been using the green ones, and because a certain dog who shall remain nameless upchucked on the bed this morning, I had to wash the bedding. I decided that instead of using the green sheets again, I'd wash and use the yellow ones. I pulled them out of the package, unfolded them, and turfed them in the washer. As I was throwing the pillow cases in the washer, I noticed a small dark spot on one of them. As I was about to inspect further, the small dark spot started moving. It was so small that I couldn't make out just what it was, although from the way it moved I think it was a baby centipede.
It gave me some anxious moments. I killed it and disposed of it, but then started wondering where it had come from. Was it in the sheets in the packaging? Were there a million more of them crawling around the sheets? Or was it on the floor in the laundry room, and just crawled on the pillow case when I had put it on the floor? If it was in the sheets in the packaging, how did it get there? Did it crawl in from the warehouse? Or did it crawl in when the sheets were made in Bangladesh? Did I now have a gazillion eggs of some exotic insect waiting to hatch and take over my home? Should I wash the sheet set and trust that would kill whatever was there? Should I throw them and the packaging in a bag, seal it up tighter than Fort Knox, and take the set back to the store for a refund?
Okay, so it gave me more than a few anxious moments. I decided to wash the sheets. After all, they were being washed in hot water, and being dried on a hot setting. Surely that would kill anything that might still be there. Besides, I tossed some bleach in as well, so that would also help to kill any critters that may be lurking. I hadn't seen anything on the other pillow case or on the two sheets when I'd unfolded them all, and even though it was a tiny critter, it was still sizeable enough that I'm pretty sure I would have noticed any more of them.
Throughout the day I would think of the sheets, and envision them freshly laundered and on my bed. Teeming with creepy-crawly insects. I could see the little buggers crawling all over the bed, getting under the sheets and the mattress protector, and laying eggs in the mattress. I would have to throw out my mattress, rip up all the carpets, and throw out all the other furniture in my place, as they would have invaded everything in short order.
Once the bedspread was dry (it was okay as it had not yet come in contact with the infested sheets), I got a grip on my imagination and bravely pulled the sheets out of the washer. I inspected them as best I could and saw no further signs of insect life. In the dryer they went. As I waited for them to dry, I was cautiously optimistic that they'd be okay, and I might not have to get rid of all the furniture and carpets - perhaps just the bed and the bedroom carpet. Hm, perhaps I still might want to reconsider using the sheets...
Finally the sheets were dry. Out of the dryer they came, to be inspected as thoroughly as possible once more. Again, there was no sign of insect life. They were reinspected as I courageously opted to put them on the bed, and all looked fine. So far I've not seen hordes of teeming insect life running rampant on the bed - or even one insect, for that matter - so I'm thinking I'll be safe.
Of course, it's impossible to get into all the folds of the material, and unless I pick the hem out, I can't see inside that. So who knows what might be lurking and waiting to crawl out in the middle of the night? If I'm not up by 10:00 AM, Judy, sneak cautiously downstairs, can of Raid in hand, to check and see if the girls and I have been devoured by ravenous exotic insects. If we aren't there, then you'll know that the little buggers are able to eat bone and all, so you'll just have to burn the house down immediately - it's the only way to save yourself!
Oh, um, you DID check the backyard first, just to make sure we aren't out on a puppy potty break, didn't you? Judy? Judy? Oops...
Okay, the other sheets (the green set - the safe ones) are almost dry, and I am just about to head to bed. I'll wish you all sweet dreams - I'll likely be wide awake all night, waiting for millions of critters to crawl out of the hems, and the vengeful ghosts of Mrs. Spider and her spiderlings to launch their own attack (if the aren't still alive in the vacuum bag and crawling out to get me as I write). Eep.
As she tends to spend a lot of time away from the web, I decided to wait to vacuum it up until I actually caught her at home. That happened, unexpectedly, this afternoon. Normally Mrs. Spider doesn't spend much time in the web during the day. I usually catch her that at night, but it's normally too late to fire the vacuum up. So Judy, you'll be pleased to know that she and her babies are now residing in the depths of my vacuum cleaner, and it's once again safe to use the bathroom!
Rest in peace, Mrs. Spider and family...
In other spider news, I had taken the dogs out for a bathroom break one day last weekend. As I walked by the swing, I just happened to catch a glint of something out of the corner of my eye. It turned out to be a beautiful, pristine, delicate spider web, with a very tiny spider in the middle. I took a lot of pictures, not expecting good results as the sun and the web were at awkward angles, but I managed to have one turn out beautifully. Here it is:
Charlotte's Web
I also got some pictures of a weed that was growing out back. It had the most beautiful tiny pink flowers, and even though it was very windy, I managed to capture a couple of good macro shots. I particularly love the way the stamen in the first shot look like little pink-and-white striped witch's stockings!
Witch's Stockings!
Pretty Pink Weed
I am just waiting for laundry to finish before I head to bed. Doing the laundry gave me a bit of a turn today. I had bought two sets of sheets awhile ago - a lovely apple green set, and a pale yellow set. I've been using the green ones, and because a certain dog who shall remain nameless upchucked on the bed this morning, I had to wash the bedding. I decided that instead of using the green sheets again, I'd wash and use the yellow ones. I pulled them out of the package, unfolded them, and turfed them in the washer. As I was throwing the pillow cases in the washer, I noticed a small dark spot on one of them. As I was about to inspect further, the small dark spot started moving. It was so small that I couldn't make out just what it was, although from the way it moved I think it was a baby centipede.
It gave me some anxious moments. I killed it and disposed of it, but then started wondering where it had come from. Was it in the sheets in the packaging? Were there a million more of them crawling around the sheets? Or was it on the floor in the laundry room, and just crawled on the pillow case when I had put it on the floor? If it was in the sheets in the packaging, how did it get there? Did it crawl in from the warehouse? Or did it crawl in when the sheets were made in Bangladesh? Did I now have a gazillion eggs of some exotic insect waiting to hatch and take over my home? Should I wash the sheet set and trust that would kill whatever was there? Should I throw them and the packaging in a bag, seal it up tighter than Fort Knox, and take the set back to the store for a refund?
Okay, so it gave me more than a few anxious moments. I decided to wash the sheets. After all, they were being washed in hot water, and being dried on a hot setting. Surely that would kill anything that might still be there. Besides, I tossed some bleach in as well, so that would also help to kill any critters that may be lurking. I hadn't seen anything on the other pillow case or on the two sheets when I'd unfolded them all, and even though it was a tiny critter, it was still sizeable enough that I'm pretty sure I would have noticed any more of them.
Throughout the day I would think of the sheets, and envision them freshly laundered and on my bed. Teeming with creepy-crawly insects. I could see the little buggers crawling all over the bed, getting under the sheets and the mattress protector, and laying eggs in the mattress. I would have to throw out my mattress, rip up all the carpets, and throw out all the other furniture in my place, as they would have invaded everything in short order.
Once the bedspread was dry (it was okay as it had not yet come in contact with the infested sheets), I got a grip on my imagination and bravely pulled the sheets out of the washer. I inspected them as best I could and saw no further signs of insect life. In the dryer they went. As I waited for them to dry, I was cautiously optimistic that they'd be okay, and I might not have to get rid of all the furniture and carpets - perhaps just the bed and the bedroom carpet. Hm, perhaps I still might want to reconsider using the sheets...
Finally the sheets were dry. Out of the dryer they came, to be inspected as thoroughly as possible once more. Again, there was no sign of insect life. They were reinspected as I courageously opted to put them on the bed, and all looked fine. So far I've not seen hordes of teeming insect life running rampant on the bed - or even one insect, for that matter - so I'm thinking I'll be safe.
Of course, it's impossible to get into all the folds of the material, and unless I pick the hem out, I can't see inside that. So who knows what might be lurking and waiting to crawl out in the middle of the night? If I'm not up by 10:00 AM, Judy, sneak cautiously downstairs, can of Raid in hand, to check and see if the girls and I have been devoured by ravenous exotic insects. If we aren't there, then you'll know that the little buggers are able to eat bone and all, so you'll just have to burn the house down immediately - it's the only way to save yourself!
Oh, um, you DID check the backyard first, just to make sure we aren't out on a puppy potty break, didn't you? Judy? Judy? Oops...
Okay, the other sheets (the green set - the safe ones) are almost dry, and I am just about to head to bed. I'll wish you all sweet dreams - I'll likely be wide awake all night, waiting for millions of critters to crawl out of the hems, and the vengeful ghosts of Mrs. Spider and her spiderlings to launch their own attack (if the aren't still alive in the vacuum bag and crawling out to get me as I write). Eep.
posted by Fullmoondolphin at 12:22 AM
2 Comments:
What have you been drinking down there??????
Firstly, are you sure that the mere sucking up into a vacuum KILLS spiders and her babies??
Secondly, who knows if I will be up by 10 a.m.?? Somebody who shall remain nameless is keeping me awake. *sigh*
Thirdly, I don't think an insect would stay alive for long sealed in a package, so it's a pretty safe bet that your sheet insect came off the floor down there. So, you're probably safe to sleep in your bed tonight. :-)
But I'll grab the can of Raid in the morning. Just in case.
That is a pretty picture of the ....spider web. Did I just use an oxymoron?
Sleep tight, and don't let the...... well, you know. ;)
I've been drinking water and the occasional bit of root beer, thank you very much!
No, the vacuum doesn't necessarily kill them...
I know you were up by 10:00 am - which means I was up then and was safe and sound!
You'd be amazed how long an insect could stay alive...but you're probably right, it probably came from the floor.
In your case, that probably WAS an oxymoron! However, I think spider's webs (the orb webs, anyhow) are beautiful works of art, so it wouldn't be one if I said it.
I did sleep tight, they didn't bite, and I'm off for a good sleep again tonight - I hope! :)
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