Spiders! An interlude of pure predation, while I work on my next post about science and language. This one is inspired by sticking my head into this asparagus to get some photos of berries this morning and getting a start, I tell you. See her?

How about now?

Note the size of lunch up to the left.

Compare her to the queen of spiders, the black widow. Her home is not so nice:

Yeah, my garage. If you want a non-blurry pic, you’re welcome to come and sweep her web aside and get your camera in right close. But, I warn you. She’s quick! And poisonous. Here’s what her grandmother and great aunt looked like, for reference:

Yeah, still my house, but less webbing in the way. But that’s not the thing. Look again:

But even that’s not the thing. She’s not the queen of this grassland for nothing. Here’s what came in the garage door and tried to eat her about four days ago.

Battle of the titans, or what! Two top predators in my garage. It’s getting cold out. Time’s running out on niceties. Would you like that insect unfolded? Sure…

Praying Mantis

This one’s a female and the eaten one is probably a male, but I think you get the idea.

So, that’s what it’s like out there. It’s getting cold. The pressure is mounting. Survival is in the air. Now, back to my work on science and language with the big old September moon peeking in my window. Sleep tight, now.