f you’ve not a fan of spiders, you might want to skip this post…
Back in May, I spotted this teeny, tiny Orchard Orb Weaver in the back garden.
Over the years, I’ve had many spider “pets”. As a child, my favourites were the big yellow garden spiders, and as long as their webs weren’t in bothersome places, my Dad always helped me make sure the spiders did well. We’d watch them all summer long as the caught food in the web and grew and grew.
This particular spider had built her web across the pathway between my red and yellow irises, but there is another way around, so I’ve been careful not to walk through her home, and I water gently on that side of the garden. These past few months I’ve enjoyed checking in on her each day.
She grew quite quickly, and she has the most amazing colour. Bright green legs and a gorgeous body with orange, green, yellow and black.
Despite how the pictures make it seem, she’s actually not very big. Her leg span is not much bigger than a dime
A few weeks back, I noticed a second web, right beside hers, with a second, smaller occupant of the same breed.
By the next day, the interloper was gone. I wasn’t sure if she ate him or just sent him on his way.
Either way, she was all on her own, sunning herself while she awaited her next meal.
Happily, I got to see that too! Here she is mumching on a fresh, juicy blow fly!
A few days later, I noticed two more webs, each with their own spider – one in the raspberries, and one by Blue Girl.
They aren’t quite as big as the first spider, but they are beautiful…
Sparkling little jewels hanging by silver threads!
Wandering Cat Studio 
C’mon down. We have PLENTY of spiders! LOL
In Florida I was absolutely fascinated by the crab spiders with their little spiky shells.
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I’ve never seen such iridescent spiders-very pretty!
I like our orb spiders, too.
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I’m not a fan of spiders, but your photos are quite nice.
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Very pretty!
I spend all day brushing spider webs out of my hair. I have no idea why but every summer the spiders try in vain to cover my house in webs. You’d think I’d be prepared but no…..I walk into those webs every morning as I go out to feed the outdoor kitties. I try hard to not look at the spiders themselves so I don’t freak out but I still get a bite or two from time to time.
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Fun post! We just watched a bunch of spider eggs hatch. The eggs were on a window by our front door and although it took a while, they finally did hatch. All the little bitty spiders went on their way while we were out of town last week.
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Not a fan of spiders but your photos are terrific! Quite often on my morning walk, I will walk thru one. I am walking on a city street and it always surprises me. They seem to make webs in the lower tree limbs and I never see them – just feel them when I walk thru them.
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Thanks for the wonderful post. We love spiders and have plenty of them in the back of our office. We have a wooded area behind us. Thanks for sharing the great photos. Have a great rest of your weekend.
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