October 2018 Observations
Part of a series on monthly observations based on time out in the nature...or nature within my home. This one includes my orb weaver friend, Charlotte, who I carefully watched in her web on the side of my garage at the end of summer. With the weather becoming questionable and strong winds forecasted in late fall, I decided to move her to my little back porch (not heated), as I knew she was close to building her nest and laying her eggs. She adjusted quickly and on October 21, she did just that. My picture shows her gravid and round. After laying her eggs she, of course, became very small. On the morning of November 7, she was gone from protecting her next. I could not find her anywhere but I knew she had left to die. I hope and pray her young come out this spring, having made it through what has been a long and at times very cold winter.
The rest of the image shows a type of brown beetle, a stink bug, a crab spider and the prominent monarch, the last one I saw for the year.
The rest of the image shows a type of brown beetle, a stink bug, a crab spider and the prominent monarch, the last one I saw for the year.