My fly colony has expanded a great deal, although it experienced an abrupt decline today. My baby spiders have been fed!
It was so rewarding. They’ve been anxiously awaiting this day, so all the tubes have been thoroughly criss-crossed with spider silk. I’d flick a fly in, and they’d never get to the bottom, they’d be instantly snared, and within seconds a hungry baby spider would eagerly rush in and bite and weave and entangle it so more. Their joy (the spider’s, not the fly’s) was palpable, and you could tell they’d been famished.
I will have more flies by Monday. Production is back on track.
The spiders told me that it had better be. Failure will not be tolerated.
In case you were wondering what spider language sounds like, it involves a lot of plucking and sawing of silk, with some clicking of chelicerae and salivary slavering. Imagine the shower scene from Psycho with a bit more pizzicato and some glutinous drooling. You usually won’t want to encourage conversation.
Imagine the shower scene from Psycho with a bit more pizzicato and some glutinous drooling.
Ah, if only poor Hitchcock had had our esteemed host on hand to manage his f/x.
PALP-able. heh.
You realize that if flies ever take over the world, you will be prosecuted for insecticide – i.e., the mass murder of helpless, innocent flies.
As disgusting as your visuals were this was a gruesomely delightful post.
Don’t patronise us, PZ. We all know how to talk to spiders.
I’m just impressed you managed to use pizzicato and glutinous in the same sentence!
Well done, prof. ;)
I rather think the spiders are saying .
“Flies ,flies ,nothing but bloody flies .
Any chance of a nice fat Butterfly?”