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A spider web unlike any seen before

nytimes.com

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Re: A spider web unlike any seen before

#81

Post by loloquwowndueo »

_qua wrote: post #46
colordrops wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah same, we do not bother spiders in the house unless they jump into bed or on food or whatever, and then we just take them outside. With spiders and cats in the house we never see any flies or other insects.

I've never really understood the "spiders protect you from pests" argument. Yeah, sure they eat flies. But I'd much rather have a fly buzz past me and get stuck to some fly paper than have a spider drop from the door frame on an invisible silk thread and slam into my face, or run across my pillow. Maybe I have arachnophobia, but they're freaky little creatures that I don't want in my living space.

> I'd much rather have a fly buzz past me

Ever wonder where those flies have been? Maybe on some nice smelly garbage, and then on your food or your dishes. Flies carry diseases, man.

> and get stuck to some fly paper

Glue traps are cruel.

Re: A spider web unlike any seen before

#82

Post by Workaccount2 »

_qua wrote: post #46
colordrops wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah same, we do not bother spiders in the house unless they jump into bed or on food or whatever, and then we just take them outside. With spiders and cats in the house we never see any flies or other insects.

I've never really understood the "spiders protect you from pests" argument. Yeah, sure they eat flies. But I'd much rather have a fly buzz past me and get stuck to some fly paper than have a spider drop from the door frame on an invisible silk thread and slam into my face, or run across my pillow. Maybe I have arachnophobia, but they're freaky little creatures that I don't want in my living space.

It's actually spider webs that protect you from pests. The webs keep catching bugs as long as they are there, the spider just eats what it wants then moves on.

Re: A spider web unlike any seen before

#83

Post by ysavir »

sheepscreek wrote: post #70
_qua wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never really understood the "spiders protect you from pests" argument. Yeah, sure they eat flies. But I'd much rather have a fly buzz past me and get stuck to some fly paper than have a spider drop from the door frame on an invisible silk thread and slam into my face, or run across my pillow. Maybe I have arachnophobia, but they're freaky little creatures that I don't want in my living space.

> than have a spider drop from the door frame on an invisible silk thread and slam into my face, or run across my pillow Rare if ever happens. Maybe 5 times in your life time. I will pay that cost any day. I have made friends with spiders. Flies spread diseases, spiders eat them. Spiders seldom bite humans and when they do, it’s nowhere near as bad as getting scratched by a cat.

For what it's worth, it happens to me about 5 times each summer. But I also welcome spiders as pest control, so it's not a surprise, and I forget all about it 5 seconds later.

Re: A spider web unlike any seen before

#84

Post by abejfehr »

alienbaby wrote: post #66
pjb88 wrote: post #64

What advantage would the inside spiders have? Surely they wouldn't catch any bugs? Or are they building a structure that's attractive for bugs to enter? What's the strategy for this web?

The article mentions that the caves are filled with millions of midges providing plenty of food.

I think they're referring to the spiders that are deep in the web, since the midges presumably don't make it that deep

Re: A spider web unlike any seen before

#85

Post by gus_massa »

dr_dshiv wrote: post #7

Spiders are super solitary creatures. I wonder, though, if they could become social.

I've seen old brick wall with a lot of funnel of spiders. (I'm not sure it's the exact same specie of spider.) They were close, but not in contact of each other IIRC. I guess when there is not enough room they get use to have neighbors and then evolution makes them less grumpy.

Re: A spider web unlike any seen before

#87

Post by capitainenemo »

xattt wrote: post #74
bob1029 wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a rule with the spiders where if they get too bold they get the vacuum. I don't mind them lurking in the corners but I don't want them crawling across my desk. I think most of them understand the arrangement by now. Only occasional enforcement is necessary.

I tried this with a yellowjacket and a screamer of a Shop Vac that has a six-foot hose. I was sure it would have suffocated from the dust inside the vacuum bag clogging its spiracles. Next morning, the wasp (now with tattered wings) was sitting in the corner of a window. I have no idea how it made it out.

It's probably a pretty natural path for the wasp assuming it survived the initial time you were running the vac. The shopvac is just a big container with at the top an exit path following the wall naturally out the tube. They don't even tend to have a flap like smaller hand vacs might have to keep dust from falling out during use.

Re: A spider web unlike any seen before

#89

Post by bob1029 »

jamespo wrote: post #53
bob1029 wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a rule with the spiders where if they get too bold they get the vacuum. I don't mind them lurking in the corners but I don't want them crawling across my desk. I think most of them understand the arrangement by now. Only occasional enforcement is necessary.

glass and piece of card, come on!

The point is to send a message to the other spiders.

Re: A spider web unlike any seen before

#90

Post by 4dregress »

rubzah wrote: post #77
jamespo wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

glass and piece of card, come on!

Incidentally, this method cured me of arachnophobia. Having it trapped inside the glass, yet in my hand and up close to take a closer look, allowed me to gradually see them as not all that scary. It's like that therapy where you gradually get closer to the thing you're afraid of (desensitization?).

I like to think of them as little robots, however I still need to get my partner to move them.

I think it’s their speed which I don’t like!

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