Grander than a Cactus

Thanks to the good folks at SpiderIdentification.org, we now know what Cactus Spider is!

He's a male Mecnogea lemniscata, otherwise known as a Basilica Orbweaver.

They're named after the structure of the web used to catch prey, which supposedly resembles the "domed ceilings inside some cathredrals." I had no idea our humble cactus spider was an arachnid of the cloth!

Son of Cactus Spider - TRIUMPHANT!

Sad news, everyone. When I went to check on the spiders who live on the cactus this afternoon there was only one. ONLY ONE! Son of Cactus Spider now as the cactus monopoly.

God speed, Original Cactus Spider, where ever you are.

I was also able to witness something I had NEVER BEFORE SEEN. This is kind of a big deal because I have spent a lot of time over the years observing nature. I thought I wanted to be a naturalist. But then I learned that it entailed more than creeping around in the woods, dictating into a microphone, pretending to be Sir. David Attenborough.

What I saw was Son of Cactus Spider shedding. I didn't know that spiders shed! But it makes perfect sense: what else are you supposed to do with an exoskeleton that's starting to pinch in all the wrong places?

It was hard to photograph because he was twirling around the entire time. But here we go:

This is how I found him. What are you up to, Cactus Spider?

He was really twisting around in the "wind" - though I'm pretty sure all that twirling was on purpose to speed along the shedding process.

Here he is, peeeeeling out of those old legs. I imagine it's like taking off panty hose after a hot day.

He's free! and dangling from his discarded exoskeleton. He kind of looks like an octopus or something, I think.

He's finished! No longer floppy and octopussy - it looks like his legs are in full working order.

Good work, Son of Cactus Spider!

SON OF CACTUS SPIDER!

I came home from work today and checked on Cactus Spider only to find he's got a NEIGHBOR now.

I think they may be the same kind of spider? Maybe one is a female (my guess, original Cactus Spider) and the other male? Or Maybe one is the offspring of the other? Hm..

Original Cactus Spider.

Son Of Cactus Spider - with a tasty morsel!

I wonder how long these two will stick around? Who knew cacti were such swanky digs for spiders?

Cactus Spider

We have about a zillion cactuses (or cacti, if you please) living on our apartment balcony. And apparently, we have something ELSE living on our balcony, too.

I present to you: Cactus Spider.





It be fair, I have been holding out on you a little. This spider has actually been living on this particular cactus for several months. But it's gotten decidedly larger, and its web has gotten much larger and more interesting.

If you look closely at the web in the photo above you should be able to tell that instead of a "charlotte" style pattern, the web is more like something you'd see on your screen door. They're all very tiny squares, basically. I had never seen something like it.

You can't see it in any of these photos as far as I can tell, but its legs have really loooong, sticking-straight-out hairs all over them. Silly looking -- and kind of like the spines on our cactuses.

But, my favorite thing about our spider friend are its googly eyes. Usually you'd expect several beady eyes arranged on the front of a spider's head. Not this one! It appears to have two round googly eyes situated at the front, or slightly under its body. It may have more eyes underneath it (or on the top of it's head) but it's perpetually upside down so we always see this rather goofy spider look on its face.

I have no idea what KIND of spider it is, but it's nice to come out and check up on.

I will have you, Spring.

I admit it - I take things and run with it. So when it finally got a bit warmer this week, and a nice misty rain shower came for a visit this weekend, I took it to mean that Spring was upon us and that I needed to get things rolling, PRONTO.

So, a visit to our local Behnke's. I can remember going to this gardening store ever since I was a kid (pronounced it "Binky's") and it's one of those memories I have of my parents together, and us, as a happy family. We'd come home with plants - even one for me, that I would promptly and mournfully kill - and make our yard into a secret garden of colors and textures.


I don't live in a house. I live in an apartment, with a balcony. I'm afraid I haven't gotten much better with plants with age. But, I was heartened to find a website or two addressing the challenges of growing anything on an apartment balcony with its shade, shifting light, and suspect cover. So I got a couple flowers (pansys, mache ranunculus), herbs (peppermint, lavender, rosemary, oregano) and pet grass (for Locksley). My fingers are crossed for them. They really are.

Because I, my dear friends, can kill the most un-killable plants. That's right: cacti. Fortunately for me - and for the cacti - Sam is very *good* at keeping cacti alive. We have about a thousand of them. And now that the threat of frost is gone they get re-potted and moved out onto the balcony as well. I'm already missing their green (although spikey) company in the kitchen. Re-potting, if you're unfamiliar, involves moving plants that have out grown their current pots and placing them in bigger ones. Cacti have pretty crazy roots - either because they are HUGE, because they are ridiculously tiny, or because they are ridiculously networked. It's a messy and adventuresome process. Locksley helped :)