A teeny spider disabused me of my grand new Theory of the Universe and Everything. Backing up -- I had decided that since both galaxies and DNA had it in common that the spiral was actually the basis for understanding it all. Then this wee critter (lower right hand corner) came along and showed me the error of my ways.
For instead of working her web as a spiral, starting at the center (or the outer edge) and circling her way out (in), she actually did a back-and forth design, which was apparent one day when the light was just right.
It looks as though she did a handful of back-and-forths on the lower part of the web and then went north to work on the top for a while and then worked her way back down.
Since this was by no means a perfect situation for a web, the top portion doesn't show the pattern of work quite as well as the lower half. And I can't be sure just how she would organize her webwork in a more perfect world. Too bad my new theory doesn't explain the spider web!Web Linkings: Oh, yes, I consulted The Google re: spider webs and discovered plenty of Good Stuff. For instance, there's this guy who collects complete spider webs, mounts them on glass, frames and sells the result as art for your living room. The Franklin Institute lists several excellent sites for the spider enthusiast, and a simple explanation of how an arachnid goes about creating a web can be found here.
Interesting post GJ..I never wondered how spiders made their webs, just assumed it was from the center outward. Nice pix and interesting links, something to share with the girls:)
ReplyDeleteI think you have a druggie spider there. Check out Spiders on Drugs, especially the pics of webs made while the spider was on caffeine or speed...
ReplyDeleteYou always have so much of interest to offer us Granny J. I love reading your posts & always learn something new.
ReplyDeleteI too wondered if the spider might be 'altered' consciously, as they say! Of course there are many different types & shapes of webs. We tend to only think of the orb webs.
granny j..I am smiling!
ReplyDeleteSo what if you have not figured out the mystery of the spider web,DNA, and the Universe and Everything? I surely did enjoy reading about your theory!
Brain -- Anyone who shares interesting stuff with kids or grandkids should hie themselves over to the Franklin Institute & click on its Spotlight, which offers great links to subjects ranging from Robots to the North Pole.
ReplyDeleteDotter & Meggie -- I can't imagine that the Very Small Critter had been smoking anything interesting -- and I don't use insecticides or other poisons on accounta my Max cat patrols the hillside. I think it's just that the real estate available was not suitable for a proper orb.
jan -- I still think it's a great Theory of Everything!
Those photos are awesome. It's hard to capture a spider web. I wonder if people actually buy these are art? Interesting!
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Helen. I can possibly imagine buying a spider web as an art objet but I would feel guilty about the she-spider who was deprived of her web! As for the pictures -- I was just dang lucky to get the right light. Speaking of light, your Sandia mountains have that wonderful western sunset coloration.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say about the spiders on drugs; Lee over at Curate's Egg did a thing a while back about them. I couldn't really imagine how they got the spider to smoke the joint though...
ReplyDeleteLucy -- Long ago, even before my time, there was a great, very effective ad line to persuade women to take up smoking, blow some my way. Maybe that's how he did it...
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