I’ve spent all winter doing the book-learnin’. I’ve got so much unfocused spider lore stuffed into my head that I expect it to hatch and little spiderlings to start creeping out of my nostrils. I really need to start applying this information and working with real animals, so every day I prowl around looking for eight-legged beasties to study, and every day I shake my fist at the weather which hasn’t gotten around to any sustained warmth yet. It’s getting a little frustrating. I also have a group of students I’d like to deploy, but it’s all empty cobwebs right now.
They’re out there, I know it. I see an occasional salticid or pholcid indoors, I’m starting to see flies and other prey buzzing around, I’m expecting an explosion of spiders any day now.
Hey! I’ve got that type of magnifying visor too. I use it when I plaint my rpg/wargaming minis (especially when I attempt eyes)!
I usually don’t use the magnifiers, but I’m so desperate I’m looking for the itty-bitties now.
Edit: …when I paint…
I wonder what you look like to the spiders.
” I shake my fist at the weather which hasn’t gotten around to any sustained warmth yet. ”
I blame the non-existent cancer causing wind turbine related AGW myself. Or, perhaps the Gawds are pissed at us?
Got a set just like those myself.
Studying bedbugs. Not entirely voluntarily, alas, but due to an infestation from a hotel we stayed at and are stuck in, until I figure an economical way out.
Leaving with them, nope, just not happening.
Got a good lead on a fungus, got it growing just for that specific purpose.
@sparks, I drove past a wind turbine, which gave me cancer and I died and went to hell, where Drumf is King. I’ve since turned twice into a gigantic muscle bound monster, beating adversaries over the head with Lincolns and Cadillacs. Broke Harlem or Holland, can’t really recall, being dyslexic (I actually am dyslexic), either way, that’s gone.
All, due to my superpower, being REF.
Retired, Extremely Flatulent.
And a random spark.
As equally valid as the windmill nonsense, but more humorous and well, current age related misfortunes in various meetings… :/
Annoying at meetings though, until one meeting, a teleconference, where the multiple star wearing officer admitted to a similar annoyance.
Yeah, but he didn’t have to evacuate the bodies from the classified conference room we were teleconferencing from, I did.
If memory serves well, I believe there was a 20% survival rate.
Serious side note, I recall an old Soviet program, where some toxins were weaponized, some being spider derived, others, snake derived, one an odd species I cannot discuss, as that remains classified. The Soviets designed the gas with a specific chemical that would defeat the mask’s butyl rubber, so we switched to silicon based polymer.
You know what? PZ, want an assistant? Dealing with that kind of poison, even if concentrated and accumulated, is far more pleasurable than things military. In spite of my moderate phobia of spiders.
There are some memories one seriously doesn’t want to be brought up, as the intelligence report showed mask melted to face and the facial expressions, not going to describe them.
Yeah, spiders sound grand, they’re not humans.
Although, studying bedbugs would be… Interesting, the probability of annoyance would be ever present, save if I constructed a 120 degree fahrenhoot room, then baked for a half hour or so.
Having actually lived in such an environment, might do that, if the specific mold culture fails.
I’d far prefer a controlled study, than study under infestation.
You’re SUCH a mad scientist; it’s fucking delightful