Messalina, the black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) Ijams has in their Exhibit Hall, created a rather large egg sac two weeks ago. She is on display at the nature center so that visitors can see what a black widow actually looks like.
The egg sac we do not need or want. But as to the number of spiderlings that will ultimately hatch, we were unsure.
Chris, who welcomes visitors at the front desk on Saturdays, looked it up online. Get this: from 200 to 900 baby spiders. Amazed, our senior naturalist, who is a gray-haired 10-year-old, took it home to attempt a census. I am currently waiting for the blessed event that may come in two more weeks.
(Post script: Messalina was the third wife of the Roman Emperor Claudius. She was a powerful and influential woman with a reputation for promiscuity and treachery, she allegedly conspired against her husband and was executed on the discovery of the plot.)
Photo by Chris Forsythe.
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The egg sac we do not need or want. But as to the number of spiderlings that will ultimately hatch, we were unsure.
Chris, who welcomes visitors at the front desk on Saturdays, looked it up online. Get this: from 200 to 900 baby spiders. Amazed, our senior naturalist, who is a gray-haired 10-year-old, took it home to attempt a census. I am currently waiting for the blessed event that may come in two more weeks.
Should you read in the Knoxville News-Sentinel or see on WBIR 10 that I died suddenly of mysterious causes...perhaps they were not so mysterious after all.
Photo by Chris Forsythe.
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