The Spider and the Wasp
Outside my bathroom window is a little alcove which, because of all its corners, is a favorite spot for spiders. The alcove – and often my windowpanes as well – are filled with all manner of silvery, glistening webs meant to catch meaty delights to satiate hungry arachnids. Yesterday, as I sat by the window, I witnessed something I’d never seen before. A yellow jacket flew into a web, catching itself in the sticky prison. The wasp panicked, thrashing itself about. And, as one thread broke in the violence to escape capture, several others took its place. For a moment, I pondered if the wasp was doing itself more harm than good with all its tossing about.
Then dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun – out came the spider from its hidey-hole, the crack between the wall and finish moulding. It scurried along the bouncing snare with ease, trouncing upon the tail-end of the trapped insect. I’m engrossed. What will happen next? I wondered at the size of the spider – only half that of the yellow jacket – and the fact that he chose the stinging end to jump on. Who will be the victor in this glorious battle — the spider or the wasp?
In an instant, I had my answer. Either the spider made a strategic error and was stung (though it didn’t appear to be), or it just decided it was too much trouble and opted to wait for the wasp to die down. At any rate, the arachnid retreated, leaving yellow jacket once again alone in its desperate mission.
It continued its struggle, flinging itself this way and that. A thread snapped – yes! But then others quickly stuck, wrapping about him like a sickly cocoon. But yellow jacket didn’t give up. Clearly, he would not go down easy. He thrashed and bashed himself about like a storm-tossed frigate on the great seas. How would it end? I was greatly curious. (Are you? If so, please continue article at the Heart of Light.)
Copyright 2008 by Ashandra-Aah
