Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Terrariums and Webs

Copyright © 2007-2009. Suburban Wildlife Garden. All Rights Reserved.

I was tempted one too many times by the Smith & Hawken terrariums until I finally succumbed last week...


Twice...



I plan on lining the bottom of the small terrarium with gravel and the larger with flat moss and perhaps some stones so they will both look like proper Wardian cases.

I finally dug out my Halloween ornaments and plan on hanging them today. I have several decorative spiders along with webs that I'll use to spice up my home and garden for the little trick-or-treaters.


I doubt my decorations will look as good as this mother wolf spider I found in my garage. Notice the little spiderlings clinging to her abdomen.





And my store-bought webs can never top the real thing I saw this morning lined with dew.




"Do you understand how there could be any writing in a spider's web?"

Oh, no," said Dr Dorian. "I don't understand it. But for that matter I don't understand how a spider learned to spin a web in the first place. When the words appeared, everyone said they were a miracle. But nobody pointed out that the web itself is a miracle." ~ From "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White


Copyright © 2007-2009. Suburban Wildlife Garden. All Rights Reserved.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fascinating, if icky. However, I like your terrariums. Very pretty!

Diana said...

Wow. I love your spider and your web -- aren't they amazing? We loved watching ours for several weeks. And your terraiums are positively yummy. Isn't Smith and Hawken something? My husband has given me gift certificates to in for past holidays and I just love that!

Mary said...

I can hardly stand to look at that spider - it's so mean looking! Spiders and their webs fascinate me but I shiver...

I looked at those terrariums - they're lovely! I even like the small glass pedestal ones.

They look great in your beautiful home!

Andrea's Garden said...

Dawn, I love taking pictures of spider webs, but I don't care for the spiders much when they are inside the house. Got my guys to remove them quickly. :-) Those terrariums are very pretty and I would've been tempted, too. /Andrea

Anonymous said...

Very cool spider. And that's one of my favorite quotes from Charlotte's Web. The other being when Mr. Zuckerman says explains that it seems that they have no ordinary pig. And Mrs. Zuckerman replies, "It seems to me we have no ordinary spider."

Looks like you, too have an extraordinary spider.

Anonymous said...

Very nice terrariums! Smith & Hawken always have such tempting things. The spider pic is also quite cool. I have never seen one with spiderlings before.

I also enjoyed your pumpkin photos in the post below. Kinda got me into the Halloween spirit.

Cheers,
Carol

Annie in Austin said...

Those Smith and Hawken glass houses are quite striking! If that spider lived in the terrarium it could guard your plants from other insects - want an eight-legged pet, Dawn?



Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Dawn said...

Thanks Pam!
I couldn't resist. I've often longed for one of these terrariums, but was a bit surprised at myself for splurging. :-)

Hi Diana,
Yes, Smith & Hawkens is one of my guilty pleasures. :-)

Hello Mary!
I love the pedestal terrariums as well. Regarding spiders: Ironically I'm a bit of an arachnophobe myself if the big ones are inside my house, but I don't mind seeing spiders outside. Can't explain it, but that is the way my little monkey-brain works. ;-)

Dear Andrea,
I'm with you on house spiders. Glad to hear you have someone to catch & release them for you. My son is big on letting them outside as well.

Hi MSS!
Oh, I love that quote from Charlotte's Web, too. And yes, I do have "Some Spider".


Thanks Carol!
I think lycosids (wolf spiders) my be unique in carrying their spiderlings on their abdomens.

Hi Annie!
Great idea! LOL! True confession: When we first moved to this house we had a bit of a sugar ant problem in the kitchen. One day I noticed a small house spider on a little web in the corner of my kitchen and in the web were lots of ant bodies. I figured the spider was at least killing more ants than I was, so I let her stay. Once I erradicated the ants I caught her and put her outside. So, now you know the depths I will sink to get rid of ants. ;-)

Happy Gardening!
Dawn