Monday, June 27, 2011

CUTE CARNIVORE



Anyone who's read this blog for long doubtless knows my feelings for things arachnid—which, to put it mildly, is coolly lackadaisical. Yes, I know their usefulness in the natural scheme of things. So long as they keep their goings-on beyond my threshold, we can peaceably coexist. However, I will not tolerate them in my house; those which choose to trespass are swiftly terminated.

With that said, I must now admit I find some spiders cute. Not those hairy, nightmarish monstrosities with fangs the size of ten-penny nails! Good Lord no! I'm talking itsy-bitsy spiders, particularly those found inside flowers. That's where I found the funky little spider in the photo—alert and set up for ambush inside the throat of one of the day-lilies at the end of my drive.

Isn't it cute…for a spider, of course?    

Though I believe in "knowing your enemy," when it comes to spiders, there's just too many to learn by name. However, I'm pretty sure this is jumping spider, maybe Paraphidippus aurantius. I don't know what my behavioral contradiction means, except that size does matter sometimes—in which case if I were an ant or fly, I doubt I'd find this eight-legged death angel cute in the least. 

All things are indeed relative…
———————

12 comments:

KGMom said...

My my my--I think you are making progress.
Next thing you know you'll be positively friends with an arachnid.
E.B. White would have been proud.

Grizz………… said...

KGMom…

Ha! Don't bet the farm on my mellowing. I've never been much disturbed by smaller arachnids. And I've always been ready to photograph even those specimens big enough to give me the creeping willies.

I'm not going to keep a tarantula as a pet—though I almost bought a huge one once, when a fellow I know who imported such critters for the trade, brought in a shipment of several hundred, and offered me, so to speak, the pick of the litter. I thought the biggest one of the lot would perhaps help me conquer my phobia. Then I thought, what if it gets loose? And realized I'd have to vacate my house.

I will say this, however. Since living here by the river, where the first couple of years it was not at all unusual to encounter (and, of course, summarily dispatch) half a dozen big spiders—including wolf spiders and nursery web spiders, and the huge fishing spiders (large enough to literally span a teacup) up from the water—I have reached the desensitized point where the chase, stalk, and kill is mostly cold-blooded and efficient, with no glut of pumping adrenaline afterwards. So repetition and familiarity has improved my response in that way, though nowadays we can go a week or more without participating in a fresh reenforcement of this attitude.

Wanda..... said...

It's true...you've managed to take an extraordinary photo which makes a spider cute! My DIL would not agree, but the little guy actually looks sweet!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Oh my goodness, where does it jump to I ask? I can see a certain beaity in it while it remains in a photograph - but face to face - no thanks.

AfromTO said...

What you haven't trained Moon the dog the be the guardian and disperser of all things spider?

Scott said...

Rather than terminate, why not relocate?

Gail said...

H GRIZ- great picture, although I shiver at the sight of ANY spider. ANY!!
None are allowed here. :-)
It is a hot one here today, staying in the A/C phew,
love to you my friend
Gail
peace......

p.s. would love your thoughts on my last post of my son's graduation speech if you have a few minutes to read it - it is a bit lengthy

Grizz………… said...

Wanda…

Sw-e-e-e-e-e-t? Well, hmmmm—I'm sticking with cute. But you're right…the right photo can work wonders on looks. My bog profile shot being a prime example. ;-D

Grizz………… said...

Weaver…

It jumps from one flower to another, if it wants. It can jump many times its own body length. Mostly it jumps on prey…pure sudden death. But it's tiny, which is the really good part.

Grizz………… said...

AfromTO…

Moon-theDog, who, BTW, is not doing too well, pays little heed to spiders, even large ones. A cursory sniff is about it. Critters in fur or feathers are her forte. She'll alert to snakes, too, but then move on.

Grizz………… said...

Scott…

Actually, I fell that faithful termination speeds up the process of natural selection—helping to reduce the gene pool which produces spiders attracted to houses, and sooner vs. later insuring a race of spiders which wouldn't think of entering a man's home. It also sends an unmistakable message to those "old genes" individuals who might be considering creeping inside on the sly. Sudden death is like the ultimate NO TRESPASSING sign.

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

Thank you…and I apologize for the photo's content. It's a cute spider…but it is still a spider. I understand where you're comin' from.

Hot here today, too. We worked outside until after noon, then went off in search of lunch, went shopping afterwards, to the grocery after that…and finally came dragging in just before dark, thoroughly done in.

I will read your post tomorrow—promise. G'night.