Spider, spider in the web..... and the threes

This AM out on yard and garden patrol I spotted a new addition to the front of the house, between the snowball and hydrangea shrubs, right over the bayberry bush.  A 6 foot by 5 foot spider web of magical symmetry and proportions.  This was a job for the bigger camera, not trusting in my smaller Nikon.  I was unsuccessful in capturing that entire web, that lacy intricacy did not show up.  But I did snap several great spidery shots and immediately posted to Facebook so that my California expert entomologist friend, Baldo would identify type of spider

Spider from belly side  with center
web criss cross to his left

I am still awaiting Baldo"s reply but I think it had to be a Steeler's fan because he definitely sported a black body with yellow pattern, his legs had a reddish tint.  Notice the past tense, because he is no more.  We watched him for quite a while and saw him move so very fast to catch the smaller bug that was caught in his sticky web and the bug was gone in an instant.  This was a very inexpensive 15 minutes of entertainment as we both stood looking.  Imagine how long this guy spent  weaving that huge web.  And how do they produce the  web netting?  There is a lot to question in this act of nature, and after I post I may do more web browsing, or Baldo may let me know more than  I can question.  This spider  was big  over an inch and a very full body and had a  very long reach with his legs, if that's what thy are called.  There is likely a entomological term, but they are legs for this post.  We considered letting him stay in place, maybe he would eat mosquitoes which are reappearing with the reappearance of our warmer temperatures again.  But when  Jerry said, "we don"t know what he is...do you want to keep him?" I knew it was curtains for the spider. 



Here he  goes head first down the web



 I am not squeamish about them, but I am very allergic to spider bites and watching this guy's actions gave me pause.  Fortunately I did not step that way to trim the snowball bush, I'd gone to the other side where I could more easily reach the back or I'd have been entangled.  It was on the return trip from mission accomplished of the offending branches into the house siding  that I caught this artistic endeavor.   

He seemed all too eager to show his belly while in the web.  In fact all I got were side and belly shots, until.....we sprayed him with spider shot from the can.  He teetered and tottered in his web and then it was all over curtain call for the spider and the web.  The web was very tacky and sticky and Jerry used  a rod to dismantle it.  Even that  caught the sticky. 

Another belly shot, a bit fuzzy in focus

We did put him on cardboard for  the viewing and that way I was able to finally capture his top side up.

Repose of the Steeler fan Arachnid

If you saw the photos on Facebook, sorry for the duplication,  but I am  posting  near the phone awaiting a call from a plumber.  This is the 2nd day of the three's.  You know how things happen in threes, or so I have heard.  Well yesterday  after I showered Jerry heard the downstairs  toilet gurgling....a quick check found it filling.  I went off to church and he said he was puzzled  but  thought he had it.  He did not.  Long story very short, we have a clog in one of  the two sewer drains from the house.  Jerry rented a snake and has dumped drain unclog to no avail.  So although we have  running water, we cannot use it.  We  figured we could move the motor home up the driveway out of the shop and  use it for toilet and running water--hah, wrong again.  It has only been a couple weeks, but for some reason  it would not start, the battery is not charging, and Jerry could not locate a relay!  Bingo  that's the third thing, the relay, and there  should end the plague of the threes. 

Well, we wanted to avoid triple time pay for a plumber on Sunday  and so we waited until Monday and we are still waiting.  The plumber who said he's be here by noon is two + hours late.  I only hope we are not started on a second phase of the three's.