A Bug's Life

I found this little beauty while out adventuring with preschoolers last month.

It's a Two-Spined Spider.  Very original name!

Isn't she incredible???

We thought she was just a funny growth on the plant originally, till she moved.  With her legs all tucked up, all you see is her funny looking back.  I had to go back later and capture a few pictures to share.

Such exquisite beauty.

Now, I know for those of you who are a little less than keen on spiders, that sentence may sound a bit over the top, a little corny, or just plain weird.  Well, I freely admit to being weird.  And I am a bit on the 'green' side.  But I don't wear hemp skirts or hug trees.  At least not much.  My husband actually hugs trees a lot more than I do.  And I do NOT like all spiders.  Spiders that bite, for instance, are not listed in Amy's favourite things.  Spiders that jump at me, or spiders that are big, black, and hairy are similarly avoided (whether or not they actually pose a threat to my physical well-being or not!).  But some spiders, you have to admit, are beautiful.

When we take the time to look.

This little lady was on the underside of a leaf, quietly minding her own business. Each day she weaves a very fine film of web over that leaf, hoping to catch tiny insects.  We just happened to be looking at the right time, in the right place.  And we were inquisitive enough to look closer.  And closer.  Really, really close.  And for our efforts we got to see a truly amazing creature.

She's beautiful.  In a weird, spidery kind of way.  And yes, she is a she.  The boys are small and fluffy!  Library books can tell you a lot of very useful things, it turns out.

I missed out on seeing this one in person...

But Boyo and Munchkin caught in on camera for me.  A Mummy praying mantis laying her egg sack.  We find them everywhere around our place in Autumn.  They've been on the conservatory windows, the front step railings, on our duvet, even inside a pair of trousers drying on the washing line!  But I don't think we've ever seen them actually CREATE it before.  Not your usual photo, I know.  But it tells a little story all of it's own.  And again, sometimes there are things happening all around us that we are simply too busy, or too 'big' to notice.  Life is happening, people, and sometimes it isn't all about people either!  We might tend to think of insects as bothersome, or not think about them at all, but they play a valuable place in our ecosystem and are truly amazing if we stop and take the time to look.  Thanks to my husband (spider-lover), and son (bug-lover) we notice quite a lot of God's smaller creatures around our place.  Okay, so I admit that I also have a delight in taking photos of intricate detail from time to time.

What tiny things might you notice today that delight, thrill you with beauty, or intrigue you with complexity?

Amy