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Lycan, wouldn't your favorite species be the wolf spider?
My one big quarrel with spiders is that the gal spiders often use their boyfriends for dinner. >:-( Wouldn't want my girlfriend to do that to me.
Anyway, how would you like a fortune-telling spider? :)
The following is from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Divination by Stephen Karcher, Element Bks 1997:
Several tribes in the Cameroon (roughly south/southeast of Nigeria, Africa) divine through the ngam spider, a large, hairy, black earth-dwelling spider that is an aggressive night-hunter. Old laws made it a capital crime to kill such a spider, for it was the messenger of a mysterious supreme power. Its night-sight permits it to see what humans cannot. It has direct contact with the realm of the dead and the ancestors…
When a spider is discovered, a large pot, open top and bottom, is placed over the entrance to its burrow. The spider is fed often, and the feeding is associated with a call. The divination system relies on a deck of up to 300 cards made from the leaves of a particular plum tree. They are dried, flattened and inscribed with a set of symbols and triangular signs… Sets of these cards can be up to a hundred years old. They represent a wide range of myths and symbols and are treated with care. Though the cards can be used alone, important questions are put to the spider, who is the mythic sponsor of the system.
A consultation begins with a conversation gently probing the background, the personality, and situation of the inquirer. The diviner will then go to the spider’s shrine, whisper the question, and put the cards and insects the spider feeds on in the opening to the spider’s burrow. He then covers the pot and calls the spider. After several hours, he returns and examines the cards that the spider has moved. These give the answer to the question posed…
Can someone ask the spider when this site will be working correctly in all aspects? :lol:
Dana
Duhhhh... You might need to consult a spider with a good working knowledge of computer software... ;-P
lol actually, Lycosidae are one of my favorites. Keep in mind that Theriphosoids (Tarantulas) are also commonly referred to as wolf spiders in some locals
Good choice in books. I'm an avid bird watcher myself, and love watching little Chickadees and Sparrows just flit and chrip. We have lots of them, and lots of Ravens and Doves. Sometimes, spot an owl or a hawk... and lots of little hummingbirds.
Cool was seeing a Blue Jay in my BF's much greener and lusher backyard. We live in a desert, so it must be the water. :)
The Black-Capped Chickadees are among my favorites. Here they are usually accompanied by Tufted Titmouse. When one shows up the other is usually not far behind. But we have such a huge variety here. When the feeders are all filled, I regularly get two types of woodpecker...Downy and Red-Bellied. Occasionally I also see the Hairy Woodpecker. And not one for the feeders, but now and then I see a Northern Flicker. Another of my favorites is the White Breasted Nuthatch. He's a shy one, and very cautious. In winter the Northern Cardinal is really beautiful against the snow covered landscape and tree limbs. They're here all year round, of course, as are the Blue Jays. Many others, but I don't want to bore everyone.
Dana
i get chickadees, goldfinches, tufted titmouses, purple finches, house finches, starlings, blue jays, common grackles, Baltimore oriels, American Robins, downy, hairy and red-belied woodpeckers, nuthatches, brewer's blackbirds, ruby throated humming birds, redpoles, cardinals, wild turkeys and a few others. I also get lots of grey squirrels
OK, I haven't had redpolls, brewer's blackbird or purple finch (maybe once). That doesn't mean they aren't around, I've just never seen them. I think maybe the Brewer's Blackbird is not in this area, but I'm not sure. I've never seen one that I can remember. All the others I get regularly. I've also seen Orchard Orioles. We have a pond across the street and some birds are just interested in what's there, not in seeds in my feeders. Like the Barn Swallows, Yellow Warbler, Yellow Chat, Eastern Kingbird. there are also Northern Mockingbirds and Gray Catbird. Those are cool. They really do sound like a cat! They also are mockers. I've heard them. Their sounds are a little more raspy than the mellow sounds of the Northern Mockingbird. I almost forgot, Red-Winged Blackbird...lots of them. One time only, I saw a Belted Kingfisher on the lines looking down at the pond. It eventually made a dive. I wish he'd come back, that was cool. The pond is also visited by Canada Geese sometimes, and there has been a family of Mallards coming around and staying every summer for the last few years. I've also seen Great Blue Heron stop by a few times. They're so majestic when they take off! I know there is at least one owl in the neighborhood, but I've never seen it. I hear it at night sometimes. We have a few hawks that come around now and then. Red-Tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk. Once I spotted something on my fence. I thought it was a Cooper's Hawk. But something looked different. Then it looked more different. The striping on the chest wasn't as fine and wasn't as orange. Then I spotted it...it didn't have that evil red eye! It was a Merlin! They're considered rare in my area I think. Another rare one was a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet. A couple of times I saw a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Sometimes the American Goldfinch are joined by a Pine Siskin or two. Sometimes I get some Eastern Bluebirds. And a Carolina Wren stops by now and then. The Common Grackles are often accompanied by Brown-Headed Cowbirds. And on the ground there are often Dark-Eyed Junco (Slate Colored). I get several different sparrows: House, White-Throated, Song, Chipping, American Tree. I can't forget the Mourning Doves. They're supposed to be ground feeders, but the ones around here have learned to get up on the feeder's spill tray and sometimes they just sit there. They like the rails on my deck, too. Every once in a while, not often, I spot some Cedar Waxwings. One autumn, when I was getting ready for work and the sun was just rising, I spotted a flock of birds across the street on the wires. I thought they were Cedar Waxwings...but in my binoculars I noticed there was something different about them. I took note of their color, and markings and checked the book and realized that they were Bohemian Waxwings. It was really cool. It's the only time I've seen them, though. I think they must have been migrating or something. I think everyone has grey squirrels! :lol: Or at least some color. I learned that to keep them away from the seed I have to give them their own snacks. I been putting up squirrel Munch Boxes. When one wears out I get another one. Every so many years. I fill it with shelled peanuts. I tried peanuts in the shells once, but they made quite a mess. They just drop the shells on the ground. I decided against it after that batch was gone. They're fun to watch nibbling on the peanuts. I've seen chipmunks go up the tree and get right inside the box and come out with big, puffy cheeks. It's so funny. The box has a lid that the squirrels must lift with their head to get at the peanuts. I didn't think the chipmunks were strong enough. Then one day I saw a Blue Jay lift the lid with its head and take some peanuts! I was amazed by that one!
I've really rambled on here. Sorry about that. I guess you can see how I enjoy them, though. My binoculars are 7x50. I get incredibly close views. I've been able to see the Red-Bellied woodpecker sticking his tongue out!
OK, I'll stop now.
Dana
It's a slightly sobering thought knowing that some spiders are large enough to eat birds...
I usually mix my bird seed with cayenne pepper, or some other hot pepper. It doesn't bother the birds at all but it keeps mammals out of my feeders. I have an old bird bath top laying on the ground that i put feed in for the squirrels and ground feeding birds, i don't care if the squirrels eat out of that, but i like them to stay out of the feeders
Phoneutria species have been shown to have more toxic venom in lab test, but fatal bites on humans are far rarer than with Lactrodectus. Some believe the fangs of Wandering spiders are too small and weak to deliver a fatal bite on a human. What ever the case is, Lactrodectus has a far greater documented death toll on humans than Phoneutria. At any rate, fatal bites on adult humans are very rare for both species. Children, Elderly and those with other medical conditions are most at risk, A healthy adult has a very good chance of surviving a bite from either species.
Isn't one of the problems that the venom contains enzymes that digests meat?
A webdesigner? :-)
Well mostly it's the other way round I think. Payback!
As for animals that eat spiders, I imagine they may get bitten in the mouth or something, once in a while. I'd rather go hungry...
When I first started (when I moved here) I got the bags of that pepper powder from Home Depot and put it in the seed. The squirrels didn't care! I'd watch them eat it. I put more and more in until I was using the whole bag for this smallish feeder I had at the time (it was left by the previous owners). From my kitchen window the seed looked red. The squirrels still ate it! I'd watch a squirrel as he ate and ate, then stopped, rubbed his mouth off with his little paws, shook his head a couple times, rubbed his mouth against a branch, held his tummy...then went back to eating! It was like watching a Warner Bros. cartoon! It was really funny. But it was also really frustrating. Then I was researching online and found an article about how to really keep the squirrels away from the bird feeders. It said to forget about special feeders, additives, baffles, etc. Give them their own food and they'll stay away from the bird feeders. It mentioned these munch boxes. I looked around at my local AGWAY store, where I bought my seed anyway (at the time, they've since closed), and sure enough they had a few. I bought one and a while later I replaced it with nice one by Feathered Friends. There's a stop that the lid hits, so it doesn't go up completely. This way the lid goes back down when the squirrel moves his head away. This keeps the rain and snow out, and keeps birds from just dropping in and eating. Although it didn't stop the Blue Jays, or the Red-Bellied Woodpeckers. The squirrels would only go after the bird feeders if I let this go empty. Unfortunately, with the closing of the last supply place I shopped at, I can't find the shelled peanuts...besides, money has become very tight and it was just too expensive.
Dana
Yes. Isn't nature fascinating?!?
Dana
i get my powdered pepper from a local health food store, its incredibly hot. So far that has been the only thing that deters my squirrels.
On a side note, my squirrels are getting so friendly now that i can actually pet them
Oh, hell! I can't even afford to buy things for myself from health food stores! :wow:
I've had to chase the squirrels away from the feeders. They have ruined a thistle feeder. There's a hole so big I saw a goldfinch sticking it's entire head inside to get the seeds the other day. :gulp: I'll have to get another one, I can't refill it now. But I'm afraid it will be ruined in no time if I do put a new one up. I don't know what to do. Maybe I should put some of the mixed see in the munch box. They go after that seed when they can. I have a squirrel baffle, a big dome type, on the pole under the big three-tube feeder, but a few months ago I saw that they finally figured out how to get up there. I don't know how they did it. I used to watch them try, and they'd slide off as soon as they tried to get up on top of the dome. It's more than four feet from the nearest fence or structure. I never saw them successfully drop down from a branch on the oak tree, but maybe they finally did. Or maybe the dome thingy isn't as smooth as it used to be and they managed to get a grip.
Anyway, petting them is out of the question. But I do have to go out there to chase them away. Just going out on my deck and yelling at them doesn't do anything anymore. They'll stop for a minute and look at me. Then go back to their business as though I didn't matter.
An uncle who passed away a few years back used to get the Black-Capped Chickadees to eat out of his hand. I've never been able to do that, either. I can only get within about 3 to 4 feet of the feeder. Any closer and they fly away. And I've stood there with a palm full of seed, still like a statue, and they just won't come.
Dana
my grandfather was able to walk out into the woods and birds would land on him, he kept his pockets full of seed and he would feed them. Some times deer would come up to him too. We used to have old home movies of him with the animals. I don't have the birds eating out of my hands yet, but i have had to shove them off the feeders so i could fill them. They know who brings the food lol. Its funny, anyone else goes out there and the birds all fly away, i go out there and they all fly in to see what i am putting out that is good to eat.
I read an article in Birds and Blooms. They say to make a scarecrow and set it at your feeding station, put seed in the hand of the scarecrow. Once the birds get used to feeding from the hand of the scarecrow, then you can take it down and take its place and the birds will eat out of your hand.
Daddy long legs do seem very fragile but apparently their advantage is speed - they're much faster than redbacks.
The Queensland Museum website says:
"Main prey: insects and other spiders. It is a highly effective predator on other spiders including Redbacks and large Grey Huntsman (Holconia immanis). "
I find their flailing limbs quite offputting but they aren't very venomous so Daddylonglegs are much more preferable to have around than redbacks. :coolsmile:
Yeah, when I'm filling the big feeder, they are up in the tree chirping and looking. It seems that they're anxiously waiting for me to get out of the way so they can eat. Sometimes they don't even wait until I screw the dome lid back on. They'll sneak some seed right from the open tops of the tubes.
That scarecrow idea sounds interesting. Maybe in the future I'll give it a try. Right now it's a bit more trouble and expense than I can deal with. And with my luck, a Common Grackle would be the first one to try me. Ouch. :lol:
Dana
I certainly prefer the Daddy Long Legs. They look more delicate and less creepy. Never realized until now that they actually can take on other spiders!
A webdesigner? :-)
LOL! :lol:
I recall when I was a kid, we were on holiday in Sweden. There, in one of the big cities (Malmö or Hälsingborg I believe), there was a small wood-like park where all the animals were completely tame. Squirrels and birds would come to you and sit on you and eat nuts and seeds out of your hand. No idea how they had become that way, but it was quite fascinating. Everywhere else here you're lucky if you get closer than 5 meter to a squirrel.
The Swedes must be great animal- and nature-lovers so that all the creatures of nature trust them so much. Maybe even spiders won't bite them. :)
It seems a bit strange by the way that in a thread like this no one so far has thought of putting THIS up. Or THIS.
http://youtu.be/ca1E7lMoZQ8
Spider fun
I think that one's too big and scary.
How about this one? :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsGvT2DYJMc
this one is not so big
http://youtu.be/1oRRBPdM6Wc
but i like this one...
http://youtu.be/jVxabSScGIY
Near the end of the second vid: Just strip off your skirt and run, you stupid woman!! :lol:
I still find it a pity that in the Spider-man movies the hero was never made to act more like a real spider, especially a jumping spider. As in jerky movements and constantly flexing his jaws... :-)
or shooting webs out his butt?
Okay, that might be going a bit too far... :lol:
it would be more spiderlike