It seems to be the time of the year when those tiny spiders that live in
cracks in the ceilings hatch out and drop loads of threads and abseil into
the rooms. What are they and what do they eat this time of year?
I know they are annoying as by keep on getting the thread on your face and
arms as you walk about.
Obviously they are so tiny, I cannot absolutely prove their spider looks,
but as no other animal can produce this silk, I guess it must be them.
Question is, how does a spider that small produce a thread that long?
Brian

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On 2024-01-20, Brian Gaff <brian1gaff@gmail.com> wrote:
> It seems to be the time of the year when those tiny spiders that live in
> cracks in the ceilings hatch out and drop loads of threads and abseil into
> the rooms. What are they and what do they eat this time of year?
> I know they are annoying as by keep on getting the thread on your face and
> arms as you walk about.
> Obviously they are so tiny, I cannot absolutely prove their spider looks,
> but as no other animal can produce this silk, I guess it must be them.
> Question is, how does a spider that small produce a thread that long?
> Brian
>

One of the texts I had to read at school was "The Natural History Of
Selbourne", written a long time ago. Just checked;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Natural_History_and_Antiquities_of_Selborne

Everyone should read it. A comparision with the currend quotes from
Mad Greta, `Scientists' and experts. Every autumn, I look over the
fields when the frost is showing the spiderwebs, and praise the works of
the Lord. The world be overrun by other insects if those billlions of
spiders were absent.

--
greymausg@mail.com
Is There not even an .Influencer to impale?
Charles I, beheaded, Charles II, killed by doctors, What is happen to Chuck III?

Yes but I wondered if they have ben fooled into hatching early by the warmth
of the house, in which case they might not find much to eat.
Brian

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"maus" <maus@deb2.org> wrote in message news:slrnuqnldq.ees.maus@deb2.org...
> On 2024-01-20, Brian Gaff <brian1gaff@gmail.com> wrote:
>> It seems to be the time of the year when those tiny spiders that live in
>> cracks in the ceilings hatch out and drop loads of threads and abseil
>> into
>> the rooms. What are they and what do they eat this time of year?
>> I know they are annoying as by keep on getting the thread on your face
>> and
>> arms as you walk about.
>> Obviously they are so tiny, I cannot absolutely prove their spider
>> looks,
>> but as no other animal can produce this silk, I guess it must be them.
>> Question is, how does a spider that small produce a thread that long?
>> Brian
>>
>
> One of the texts I had to read at school was "The Natural History Of
> Selbourne", written a long time ago. Just checked;
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Natural_History_and_Antiquities_of_Selborne
>
> Everyone should read it. A comparision with the currend quotes from
> Mad Greta, `Scientists' and experts. Every autumn, I look over the
> fields when the frost is showing the spiderwebs, and praise the works of
> the Lord. The world be overrun by other insects if those billlions of
> spiders were absent.
>
>
> --
> greymausg@mail.com
> Is There not even an .Influencer to impale?
> Charles I, beheaded, Charles II, killed by doctors, What is happen to
> Chuck III?

> .... I look over the
> fields when the frost is showing the spiderwebs, and praise the works of
> the Lord. The world be overrun by other insects if those billlions of
> spiders were absent.

I think pesticide use is robbing spiders of their job.

On 21/01/2024 12:59, Jim Jackson wrote:
>> .... I look over the
>> fields when the frost is showing the spiderwebs, and praise the works of
>> the Lord. The world be overrun by other insects if those billlions of
>> spiders were absent.
>
> I think pesticide use is robbing spiders of their job.

It snot spiderers here, tiz boodly Harlequin ladybrids.

Got infested with swarms of them every October. They think my flat is a
cliff or cave or summat.

All the windows were changed here late last year. I thought great,
that'll keep 'em out. But no. The new windows have closable vents, but
closures are hinged plastic covers, and the little bleeders seem to be
able to squeeze through the gaps when closed.

Then they just die.

Also, they kept coming this time, all through Nov. until now. Only in
twos or threes though. They are a lot smallerer and blackerer than last
year's lot.

They end up dead or alive, in the vacuum cleaner.

Tone

Brian Gaff wrote:

> It seems to be the time of the year when those tiny spiders that live in
> cracks in the ceilings hatch out and drop loads of threads and abseil into
> the rooms.

Never get those, not had the flying ants for a few years, and this year
I don't think many daddy long legses doing the face-bombing at night

On 2024-01-21, Brian Gaff <brian1gaff@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yes but I wondered if they have ben fooled into hatching early by the warmth
> of the house, in which case they might not find much to eat.
> Brian
>

They have, right in front of them. You. Yes, weather is odd this year,
like most years in the West European Islands, I turned on the light the
other night, and a fly started buzzing. I could almost hear it say "Oh
****, early again"

--
greymausg@mail.com
Is There not even an .Influencer to impale?
Charles I, beheaded, Charles II, killed by doctors, What is happen to Chuck III?

On 21-Jan-24 13:43, Tease'n'Seize wrote:
> Brian Gaff wrote:
>
>> It seems to be the time of the year when those tiny spiders that live in
>> cracks in the ceilings hatch out and drop loads of threads and abseil
>> into
>> the rooms.
>
> Never get those, not had the flying ants for a few years, and this year
> I don't think many daddy long legses doing the face-bombing at night
>
Good point.
We always had flying ants who had nests in the same spots in the 'lawn'
for decades. I haven't seen them swarm for a couple of years & don't
remember seeing the nests.

--
Sam Plusnet

We still see the ants, sadly, but daddy long legs do not really worry me in
autumn. A few years ago we had Carpet Beetle invasion, with hundreds dead
all over the window sills in the house. I never did find where the grubs had
been munching.
Brian

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"Sam Plusnet" <not@home.com> wrote in message
news:UUdrN.240109$c3Ea.211682@fx10.iad...
> On 21-Jan-24 13:43, Tease'n'Seize wrote:
>> Brian Gaff wrote:
>>
>>> It seems to be the time of the year when those tiny spiders that live in
>>> cracks in the ceilings hatch out and drop loads of threads and abseil
>>> into
>>> the rooms.
>>
>> Never get those, not had the flying ants for a few years, and this year I
>> don't think many daddy long legses doing the face-bombing at night
>>
> Good point.
> We always had flying ants who had nests in the same spots in the 'lawn'
> for decades. I haven't seen them swarm for a couple of years & don't
> remember seeing the nests.
>
> --
> Sam Plusnet
>

Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote in
news:UUdrN.240109$c3Ea.211682@fx10.iad:

> On 21-Jan-24 13:43, Tease'n'Seize wrote:
>> Brian Gaff wrote:
>>
>>> It seems to be the time of the year when those tiny spiders that
>>> live in cracks in the ceilings hatch out and drop loads of threads
>>> and abseil into
>>> the rooms.
>>
>> Never get those, not had the flying ants for a few years, and this
>> year I don't think many daddy long legses doing the face-bombing at
>> night
>>
> Good point.
> We always had flying ants who had nests in the same spots in the
> 'lawn' for decades. I haven't seen them swarm for a couple of years &
> don't remember seeing the nests.

We still get flying ant days, once or twice a year. They nest beneath the
patio and crawl out through the cracks. Normally a damp, perhaps thundery,
day in July following a hot period.

--
Peter
-----

>
> We still get flying ant days, once or twice a year. They nest beneath the
> patio and crawl out through the cracks. Normally a damp, perhaps thundery,
> day in July following a hot period.
>
>

I get that too - but I have never seen any of them fly anywhere

In article <uolipm$mv9r$1@dont-email.me>, Abandoned Trolley <fred@fred-
smith.co.uk> on Mon, 22 Jan 2024 at 11:16:06 awoke Nicholas from his
slumbers and wrote
>
>>
>> We still get flying ant days, once or twice a year. They nest beneath the
>> patio and crawl out through the cracks. Normally a damp, perhaps thundery,
>> day in July following a hot period.
>>
>>
>
>
>I get that too - but I have never seen any of them fly anywhere

They are very small, so difficult for us puny humans to see them
individually while they are in the air; on a good summer though, they
can be so numerous as to darken the sky. Mostly what you see around the
cracks are the workers who are seeing off the potential queens for next
year's colonies and the males, both of which are winged at this point.

What you will then see, spread around the countryside, are the dying
males, their raison d'être complete and the hopefully mated queens. The
queens tear off their wings and look for a suitable place to create a
new ants nest, for next year.
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

On 21/01/2024 19:04, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> On 21-Jan-24 13:43, Tease'n'Seize wrote:
>> Brian Gaff wrote:
>>
>>> It seems to be the time of the year when those tiny spiders that live in
>>> cracks in the ceilings hatch out and drop loads of threads and abseil
>>> into
>>> the rooms.
>>
>> Never get those, not had the flying ants for a few years, and this
>> year I don't think many daddy long legses doing the face-bombing at night
>>
> Good point.
> We always had flying ants who had nests in the same spots in the 'lawn'
> for decades.  I haven't seen them swarm for a couple of years & don't
> remember seeing the nests.

We had flying ants last year but either the number of daddy-long-legs
has diminished or the cats are doing an excellent job of disposal.