If you are afraid of spiders, you might want to skip this one. However, knowledge is power and learning a little more about these fascinating creatures may help you to overcome your fear.
Winter, such that it was, ended overnight. We woke up one morning with the electric blanket on and went to bed that night with the air conditioner set to its coldest.
The heat is debilitating (it does not lend itself to any form of work!) and on top of that it is very dusty and dry – the bush looks like it will never recover and seems to get browner by the minute.
Out walking yesterday morning I noticed an encouraging sign; one lone green tree, an interloper peering out through the grey. The rains can’t be far off now and I’m really looking forward to that.
When I got home and looked closer at the picture I had taken and noticed something else.
Do you see them?
So, despite the sweltering heat and in the name of science I called the reluctant dogs and we all traipsed out again to get a closer look.
Closer
And closer …
Closer still
What lives in these messy nests? Looks like it could be a spider so, much to Piet’s disgust (he’s quite happy to face down a charging buffalo but the sight of a tiny spider will have him cowering and yelling for me to save him), I decided to take one home to open up and have a look.
I put the nest inside a plastic dish and the first thing that happened was a whole bunch of tiny spiders rushed out, waving their legs at me in indignation. It was like a spider village in there! They were mostly jumping spiders (Salticidae) but there were also a couple of other species, too small for my aging eyes to recognise.
Most of those little black dots are spiders
A tiny salticidae
On opening up the nest the first thing I saw was a wasp nest. I find this interesting as often wasps predate on spiders, usually using them as a food source for their larvae, and I wonder what the relationship is in this case. It must be quite disconcerting for the spiders to live together with an animal which may be eyeing them out as a meal for its offspring!
Next I found a nest-within-a-nest.
And inside this nest was Shelob — the true boss of the place! She curled herself up and pretended to be dead, which made closer inspection a lot easier than if she was scurrying about trying to escape.
I asked for help with identifying this spider from the Spider Club of Southern Africa Facebook page and was informed that ‘Shelob’ belongs to a family of spiders known as Araneinae , or orb spiders, and that she has a delightful common name — Hairy Field Spider.
Shelob, the Hairy Field Spider
Hairy Field Spiders are not harmful to humans, but Piet was not sure that releasing Shelob into the rose-bush which grows under the light outside the lounge was a good idea. I know she will do good, helping the geckos and frogs to catch the mosquitoes that will come when the rains finally begin.
I'll Give You a Letter For That 
While I am basically arachnophobic, I am also drawn to stories and photos of spiders like a moth to a bug zapper. It creeps me out but I have some macabre curiosity and I have to look. All that said – I wouldn’t have opened that nest for a million dollars! I’m with Piet here! 🙂
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I wish someone HAD offered me a million dollars! (perhaps I need to speak to Piet?) 😉
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Haha! Right?
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Fantastic post Carol, so good that you have the nerve to actually learn from a spider nest. I wouldn’t touch the thing, let alone take it hope and open it up. School teachers would love this 🙂
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Thanks Gillian 🙂
I’ve always been fascinated by spiders and have never feared them – I guess I am lucky with that. Piet thinks I am nuts!
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You are incredibly brave to open up a spider’s nest like that without knowing what lies inside! Kudos to you!
And great photos to document the experience 🙂
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Although I knew none of the dangerous spiders — there actually aren’t many of them in the general scheme of things– live in houses like that, I did open the nest very gingerly 🙂
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I am not a spider fan, but I liked your exploring tour and the little guy at the end looks quite nice. I hope he is little…
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I later discovered he is a she — you can tell from the size. One of those tiny, pin-size chaps that first jumped out at me was her husband.
Her entire body is about the size of my thumb nail.
And she does look cute, doesn’t she? Kind of suits her name 🙂
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My dad taught me to never kill a spider. He used to just catch them in the house and put them out. I’m not afraid of them, except the poisonous ones. However, I also would not have been brave enough to open a nest in the house, or even outdoors. I enjoyed the pictures though. Thanks for sharing, El.
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I’m glad your dad taught you that — a wize man 🙂
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I was getting ever more nervous as each picture showed an ever more close-up view of the contents of that nest! I was expecting the next photo to be of a spider sitting on your nose. The orb spider perhaps was in there looking for an easy meal? I love the light mood of this informative story.
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I think that Shelob built that nest. She hides out in there during the day and comes out at night to make a web to catch her prey.
In the few days since I brought her here she has made a new nest in a bush outside our bedroom and I’ve seen her web spun there in the evenings 🙂
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Fantastic, and Shelob took me back to Lord of the Rings:))
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She is one of my favourite (terrifying!) characters 🙂
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Not so keen on the spider but love the piece and your blog! Thanks for flagging it up for me 🙂 Great photographs … ciao from us in Napoli – Georgiex
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You’ll find the more you learn about spiders the more you realize they’re not out to get us 😉 (very, very few are dangerous to humans)
I’m glad you like the post and my blog xox
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Fabulous and an informative story – always wondered which spider it was, and now l know! Thank you!
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Yeah, I am not a spider person at all ~ but I am also someone who cannot help but looking 🙂 Great photos and also quite informative with a great writing flow.
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A kind of morbid fascination 🙂
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So interesting! Thanks for the tour. I once, inadvertently, upset a spider’s nest and the mother was not happy – boy did she come at me. I am more careful now.
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Ha ha! I can imagine she wasn’t very pleased! The good thing is that so few spiders are actually dangerous to humans, even on the rare occasions they do bite us. They are incredibly misunderstood creatures
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You’re brave, bring something home when you don’t know what’s inside, but your curiosity, brought great results.
I find posts like this interesting since I’ll probably never get to see it in person.
Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you 🙂
I’m glad you liked the post
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Hey El Rolyat, love this post. I found a Hairy Field spider (female) on our curtain inside the other day, but have been so fascinated by these spiders since we have had one resident in our Garden for the past year. I have also been in love with Spiders for some time and often my family think I am nuts since I always take them outside and try save them. I handle the ones I know are not poisonous and was more cautious with this beautiful spider. She is back in my garden and I get to see her amazing nest at night while she hunts. I am glad that there are more people out there that actually appreciate spiders for their true nature. They help sustain our ecosystem and keep order. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
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I’m so glad you liked this story. Sadly spiders are such misunderstood and persecuted little creatures, when in reality they mean us no harm at all. Luckily I have managed to persuade my husband that they are not all out to get him, and he now calls me to move them whenever he finds one too close to where he is.
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