Friday, September 4, 2009

Charlotte Builds a Web


As it happens, Charlotte, my nightly spider-visitor about whom I've been commenting here on Carol's blog is a Barn Spider. She is, in fact, the very spider made famous in the children's book by American writer E. B. White. You can read more about the real-life Charlotte on wiki. I've been observing Charlotte behaving just as documented in the wiki article. Except for one thing: she didn't read the part about taking her spiderweb down every night. This morning she crept away and left it in place. As I write, tonight's hunting has begun, and she saved herself some extra work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barn%20spider

76 comments:

Carol said...

That is great Ivy. Makes my stuff sound pretty country bumpkin but that's OK. I'll deal with it. The picture came out great. Has an errie look.

I almost couldn't find the comment section.

Carol said...

And you figured out how to add a hyperlink. I saw that option this morning on the toolbar.

Anonymous said...

Ivy, Maybe she took it down all the previous nights because it wasn't perfect. Maybe this time it was perfect, so she kept it.

An absolutely beautiful picture!

Anonymous said...

Oh, btw, I was talking about the spider and her web, when I said that. The web is now perfect.

Carol said...

I wonder if we can take out some of that extra space at the bottom. Will it let you edit. If you go to New Post Ivy and then look for edit post. Hit that and see if you can remove some of that extra space at the bottom. Some may not find the comment section.

Anonymous said...

She looks very poisonous Ivy.

Anonymous said...

.. or maybe Ivy would like you to do it Carol ?

Carol said...

It's back and it's normal now. What in the hell happened?

Ivy Green said...

Charlotte spent less time making her spiderweb than I did making a post about it.

She is not poisonous or dangerous except to other Barn Spiders...or bugs who get snared in her web.

Anonymous said...

I'm not kidding Carol. This blog really is in the twilight zone.

Carol said...

Do you think that Charlotte had something to do with this?

Carol said...

I'm glad ya'll saw that too or I would have thought I got too hot this afternoon.

Anonymous said...

You just crossed over into the 'Twilight Zone'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzlG28B-R8Y

Ivy Green said...

Carol, it was me messing with it trying to remove the space which I'm sure came from all my false attempts to insert other pictures. I was trying to insert another photo at the end. I have an amazing photo of a side view of her sitting on the web just before she left it at daybreak.

Carol said...

Ivy, don't you think that Charlotte was another incident of synchronicity? You wanted something interesting to post and bam, Charlotte shows up....

Anonymous said...

I hope you're going to upload that picture too Ivy.

Ivy Green said...

What is the Twilight Zone reference you're making? Did something weird happen while I was editing?

Carol said...

Make a PS Ivy. You've got it down now.

Anonymous said...

I think maybe she's more meaningful than just that Carol. But now, thanks to Ivy, she's meaningful to all of us.

Carol said...

You can add extra pics but they usually come out side by side. I just pull them down by clicking on the pic and pulling it down.

Anonymous said...

Yeah. Your blog disappeared and Carol and I thought we were going nuts. At the same time yet.

Ivy Green said...

I'll try something but be forewarned I have no clue what I'm doing here. This is uncharted territory.

Carol said...

Have a theory Chloe? Care to share?

Anonymous said...

No! You're the one in charge of theories.

Anonymous said...

You know more about it than I do Ivy. Rest assured.

Anonymous said...

Carol, We don't usually see the meaning of things until later. Rarely while they're happening.

Ivy Green said...

When the blog writer edits, the post gets pulled off thread. I had to "publish" again. I think I should leave well-enough alone, don't you?

Carol said...

The more uncharted, the better. Life in the twilight zone..

Carol said...

You can still make a new post to add your pic. You certainly have done better than I have so far.

Carol said...

Sometimes things come to you faster if you are tuned in for an answer.

Ivy Green said...

One amazing thing was the hummingbirds flew around and about Charlotte's web all day and never damaged it.

Carol said...

Maybe that was what was happening the night you said your computer was acting up that night. It was the ghost night. I had been trying to edit out some mistakes at the time.

Carol said...

You know I had a spider make a web on the porch one night a year or so ago. I looked for it the next morning and there was no evidence of it.

Carol said...

Have you noticed that the hummer activity is heating up? They must be starting their migration.

solarcrete said...

Ivy,

As we used to say in the M arine Corps. Outstanding, I saved it to my picture file. There are billions of un-noticed life all around us, we are basically un-aware how diverse our universe really is...thanks for this one look at it. Like I said, I hope that you friend will visit us here, and talk to us about her studies.

Carol, Nothing special about asking you about your inmates. I would not want any of them for you. You never know-someone might still be right around the corner...

Don-1 was the person that U were thinking about. He is a lot of fun, if you understand him, and where he is coming from, I loved argueing with him...he and I had a sorta of disagree, and agreement type of talks,....he likes to discuss heavy (very deep theories) with me...I kept tripping him up, and he got a little hot sometimes...and then laughed about it...I like him, but he needs to get a thicker skin around tm.

Ivy Green said...

Solar, Don't hold your breath for Bear Woman. There is no Internet at her cabin where she spends most of her time. I communicate with her by smoke signal.

Carol said...

You know Solar that I wrote earlier that my life chose me. I think that not having a family forced me to focus on my career and the others who needed me. If I would have had a husband and kids, I never would have been able to put as much energy into my work.

solarcrete said...

I think that's why Animal left, he was way too sensitive, for tm???

Ivy Green said...

Solar, I meant to say I am glad you enjoyed the photo of Charlotte.

Carol said...

Every time I got close to finding someone I really liked, poof they were gone.

Carol said...

Ivy, have you seen Charlotte tonight? Could something have happened to her?

Ivy Green said...

Carol, the ruby-hummers are buzzing, but I believe they are all females and young. I haven't seen a male in quite a while. They are fueling up for the long journey to South America. The numbers will start to taper off. I usually see the last straggler on or about October 31. The books say leave your feeder up through fall in case a wandering migrant happens by, but I never seen any late-comers myself.

solarcrete said...

I know Carol, but there is alway's room for someone now-now that you have so much to share; not material things, but sorta like a give and take, that U found at t m and here...remember, sometimes what I start out saying, is not where im going with the first thought...I sometimes explore a few words and then know where to take the rest of what I want to say...does, that make sense?, but thats what I do sometimes. Patd picked up on that real fast....

Ivy Green said...

I will let that bad grammar go...I'm starting to sound like my relatives.

Carol said...

Yes I do Solar. I think?

Ivy Green said...

Well, I'm about worn out for the night. Poor Charlotte is just getting started. Carol, have you ever had to work the graveyard shift at the hospital? My mom worked the 11-7 for many years. Don't think I could pull that off...

Carol said...

I did when I first started nursing and then with some of my moonlighting jobs on weekend/holidays while I was teaching. My fist NP job was in ER and I worked some 2p to 2am. At that time in my life I didn't want to do those kind of shifts.

solarcrete said...

Ivy,

Not to worry, and yes I did enjoy the spider a lot. The world of ants are fascinating also. I have a few tapes of them, and the reasons for how they live. If I remember correctly: The way that they find their way home, after going on a search for food very far away from home, is the light in the sky, sun, or moon..I have to take a peek and do a post on them one day...another is the fly: the scientist can make extra arms, of legs, or eyes grow, by manipulating their genes.....

Carol said...

Wore you out huh, Ivy?

Carol said...

Now the rest of ya'll have to follow Ivy's lead.

Ivy Green said...

Yes, Carol, learning new skills takes a lot of energy. But it's practice practice practice that makes perfect...as long as you don't repeat your same mistakes!

Carol said...

Oh well Ivy, I seem to like to practice the same mistakes for a while.

Ivy Green said...

Carol, I almost overlooked your question, and the answer is yes, indeed, Charlotte got right back on the job as soon as dark fell. She had it easy tonight because the web was already set up...only had to spiff it up around the edges.

Carol said...

Charlotte finally got some smarts.

Carol said...

She was probably off doing some blogging and said hell with all this housework.

Carol said...

And Chloe, I just loved the twilight zone back when...

Ivy Green said...

Well, I just saw what Charlotte was doing with her free time...she built a second spiderweb! Smaller than the original, but close enough she can hop right over. I've been trying to divine the "messages" or lessons Charlotte is here to teach me. Maybe one of them is have a "Plan A" and a "Plan B."

Carol said...

Always good to have a backup. Have you seen her eat anything yet?

solarcrete said...

Ivy,

I think that she is doing what is basic to her: The drive to survive, and find nourishment, and the drive to mate.....I will see what some of the science books have to say about it, later on...nite all.

Ivy Green said...

No, and I'd rather not. I don't think it would be pretty. They wrap up their prey like a mummy and drag it off. Bear Woman has seen it, and suggested I throw a moth on there to see it happen. I told her Charlotte has to do her own hunting with NO HELP from me.

Carol said...

I want to learn to do more with my digital camera. There are a lot of things you can adjust but reading all those little symbols is a little difficult.

I found the directions to my camera on the Net and am trying to study them. I need to get my tripod from my house so I can do some night shots without flash. Like the moon when it is full, reflecting on the water.

I used to be able to do so much with my old SLR camera.

Carol said...

Worried Ivy that you might get some moth karma?

Carol said...

Does she eat her mate Ivy? Black widows do.

Ivy Green said...

Carol, will leave you to your studies. The moon was spectacular last night, and I'm sure it's just as magnificent tonight. That will be wonderful if you get a good photo to post and share your "reflections."

Ivy Green said...

Carol, Actually, that's what the wiki and other articles I read say, that they are very antagonistic toward their own species. Makes you wonder how they manage to make any little spideys...

Carol said...

Eating your old man saves you from having to order pizza after sex.

Carol said...

Nite all, good post Ivy. I'm proud of ya.

Carol said...

Haven't heard from Chloe in a while. Maybe she's working on her post?

jan said...

I am thinking about what Ivy said about the hummingbirds flying around the web all day and not damaging it. We humans have something to learn from that.

jan said...

The moon has been spectacular here in NM too. This morning at about 6:00 it was in the west and just above the roof of the house across the street, and so bright. I took a picture but it did not do it justice.

Carol said...

Did you take it with a long shutter speed and a tripod?

Carol said...

Are you seeing more hummers out there?

Ivy Green said...

Ivy: "It's 12:30

Hubs: (strumming guitar) "Hmm"

Ivy: "guess I'll check on Charlotte"

Hubs: (strumming) "Hmm"

Ivy: "She's just sitting there"

Hubs: (keeps strumming)"Hmm"

Ivy: "Should I keep the light on for her?"

Hubs: "No. She knows what she's doing."

Lights out...'nite

jan said...

Carol, I took the pic with my little digital camera. I am just learning to use it and essentially just point and click the button. You and Ivy take professional photographs. I am absolutely an amateur. I gave up my little instamatic only 3 months ago.

Anonymous said...

Ivy, I just love that you shared that 'lights out' moment with us. Thanks.

(aren't relationships wonderful... men! I don't know what I'd do without them :)

Anonymous said...

Abegale, Hope you'll be posting more.