New Legs for My Spider

This post was supposed to be published in February 2011.. I thought I had published it, but the other day, I found out that it was still a draft.. :-P 

The same article in Indonesian .. "Kaki Baru untuk Laba-Labaku"

Around the new year, I started spider watching again. This time, it was a little one on the front porch. She built a web between the plants and one of the pillars on the porch.

The little spider was unique. It only had five legs..

I felt sorry for the spider, and wondered how would it survive with only five legs. Suddenly, my husband shouted from inside the house, "Don't worry, the legs would grow back!"

I replied, "Yeah, right! Legs can grow back!"

My husband shouted again, "Spider legs can grow back."

Knowing my husband's taste for making jokes, I just grinned and talked to myself, "Sure sure.. That will be the day.."

For a few days, I watched the spider, making sure that it was still in its web. Until one day, I was so surprised to see that I saw a little white thing coming out of each spot where the legs were.

My husband was not joking! So, I called him at work and told him about that.

He said to me, "I told you. I wasn't joking. Just check on the internet!"

So I did, and I found out that spider legs can grow back as long as it doesn't lose too much fluid in its body. WOW! That is a very interesting fact to learn.. ;-)

I took some pictures of the spider to put here..

Before The Legs Grew Back

Hunting with Five Legs

After The Legs Grew Back

Hunting with Eight Legs

I was really amazed, finding out that spiders can survive with only five legs, although having eight legs, definitely made its life so much better.. (judging from the number of flies it caught after its legs grew back!)

A few days later, the spider was gone. The web was deserted. I guess, since it had all its legs back, the spider wanted to build a bigger and better web. I just couldn't find where the new web was.

I just hoped that the little spider was well and happy.. :-)