From "Down Under"!

Sometimes there is a large "creep factor" about being on the pier before dawn or after sunset.  It takes a good bit to give me the willies but there are a few of my sisters-in-law and maybe a cousin or two that would have conniptions if they saw the creepy-crawlies that occasionally are on the pier.  They would have especially had the heebie-jeebies with the friend that came to visit the other morning.

Just before dawn, Mark and I were just settling in to some serious fishing when I noticed a critter climbing up from beneath the pier boards.  A nice sized wolf spider cautiously eyed us.  It was not sure that we would keep our distance just like we were hoping he would keep his.  The spider eased its way up between the planks and stared at us with all of its eight eyes!  (I find it interesting that not only does a spider have eight legs but it has eight eyes as well!)  The morning was a tad cool for this critter to be real active.  I imagine that it was seeking sunlight to warm its body before it settled in for the day.  I watched as the spider lifted one leg after another as if he was waving at me!  Awww..I think I found a friend.

It was then that I noticed that the spider was not alone.  Along its back and on several legs there were some red "lumps".  These appeared to be some sort of parasitic egg cases.  The normally predatory spider had become host to some other critter and that would soon hatch and eat the spider alive!  You talk about your zombie attacks!  There was not a thing that the spider could do about the eggs that were embedded in its hide.  Poor critter!  I do wish I could have helped it out a bit by removing those eggs but as soon as I made the slightest move, the spider slipped back under the board.

Its quick, silent movement made me realize that I probably had, at some occasion, been a lot closer to this spider and some of its friends. When the skies are dark, no one knows just what might be crawling up his/her leg! I just hope I have never unintentionally squished one of the spiders that live under the planks.  As long as they keep their distance....