photo by Thomas Pendrake This lovely lady lives near our back door light and helps keep the bug population in control. She measures about four inches. She is a golden orb spider and I understand it is possible to make one bite you if you try hard enough. They are called golden orb spiders because they create silk covered egg sacs using their golden silk. This silk is one of the strongest fibers known.
Scientists who play with genetics have bred milk goats using gene splicing to add spider silk genes to a line of milk goats in order to bee able to produce fibers of spider silk from goat milk. In one experiment the protein was mixed with human skin cells to produce bullet-proof human skin.
Spider man fans and the military-industrial complex that President Eisenhower warned us about probably like the idea, but it does kindly creep me out. (kindly is cracker speak)
I used to keep milk goats so I worry about these goats getting into the gene pool. Goat milk is enjoyed by more humans that any other kind of milk. I am allergic to cow milk.
A couple of days ago I watched a different moth get caught in this spider's web. The moth immediately stopped moving and the spider did not realize it was there. After a few minutes it managed to fall free of the web. I am willing to bet that this moth fought to get free of the web.
I'm suspect that the moth who got away had ancestors who got away. If not, maybe it will have descendants who will.
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