Spinning a Happy Halloween

An early morning walk gave me the opportunity to catch some spider webs in all their glory on Nantucket this weekend. If you fear spiders, you're not alone. Despite their size, they are one of the most despised creatures on earth, causing freak outs and eliciting screams from people I would usually consider normal. Here are some amazing facts about these creepy crawlies, who are deeply intertwined with our Halloween celebrations.

Spiders found in Madagascar have spun webs out of the toughest biological material known to man. The light and incredibly strong silk is 10 times stronger than Kevlar.

The unusual crab spider has the ability to move sideways, like its namesake.

Spiders are known for their predatory instincts, but the tiny jumping spider is a vegetarian.

The largest spider in the world is the giant Bird Eating spider with a leg span of 11".

Spiders are very important to the Eco-system because they eat pesky insects-ticks, Mosquitos, flies and ants.

Spiders are pretty resistant to pesticides, it doesn't do a whole lot of good to try and keep spiders out of your house with sprays.

I think I might know the original inspiration for the shape of alien heads in the movies!

Some spiders decorate their webs with a zig zag pattern like the spider I captured above. Scientists are hard pressed to agree on the reason. Is is for stability, to prevent other larger animals from flying into it, or just a way for the arachnid to expel extra silk? In any event, I found it fascinating to watch!

In most webs, only the orb is sticky. The spokes can be used as a pathway for the spider, allowing it to move around without getting stuck

They were so plentiful and with the morning dew, jewel like, glittering in the early morning sun. I felt like Mother Nature had put on a private installation just for me.