Arachnids, yep I love 'em :)

Out on another fishing/geocaching trip.  We were sitting on some rocks in the middle, yes, the middle of the Maumee River, where thankfully someone had the good sense to paddle me to in a kayak.  Thanks to my brother Charles, a prince among men :) Granted a little rough around the edges for a prince but I digress. :) As we were sitting there, the boys were fishing and Brendan said there was a huge spider where he had been sitting.  I figured it was an ordinary wolf spider or some such critter.  But of course, curiosity pulled me in and I went to look.  Behold!! The mother of all spiders was sitting there.  No wonder the kid was concerned, it could have eaten him in two bites!!  Of course being the mom with absolutely no sense that I am, I reach out and POKE it with my finger.  It didn't budge.  It sat there like, "C'mon! Is that all you got!"  It was huge!  Fortunately I like spiders.  It did run under the large rock on the tiny sandbar we were on.  And I really tried hard to take its picture, but alas I only have these blurry legs reaching up over a smaller rock to show you. 

And in honor of my friend the spider I give you a poetic tribute:

Wolf Hunter

byJudy Ponceby

 

Twas a Wolf Spider,
wandering around.
Searching for dinner,
On the dark ground.

It didn't make webs,
didn't have a tunnel,
No traps or sticky threads,
No venom or funnel.

But deadly nonetheless,
Striking so quick.
Relentlessly tracking,
And, named for this trick.

Traveling quickly,
Hiding from the light,
Stalking its prey,
Having a bite.

Now some say they're icky,
Some get creeped out.
But taking the time,
to just look about.

Shows how essential,
are these little creatures.
Intricate killing spiders,
with deadly brown features.

Oct 11, 2010