B.C. by Mastroianni and Hart for March 30, 2014

The flying spiders

Birds bubble?

I’m having the same problem but I’m positive I don’t get it. :)

Like Bruno said: the return of all bugs.

Ah! Spring!!…the crocuses have just croaked, the violets have all been violated, love-lies-bleeding is weltering in its own gore, and the snowdrops have of course just dropped another load…

For those who don’t get it, the turtle is heading to Alaska where it’s still cold to get away from spiders and/or other bugs. The turtle was listing off things he likes about spring, but when he saw the ballooning spider he realized there are things he doesn’t like about it.

I thought I understood it, then I thought I didn’t, but I did. I’ll take the spiders and bugs (minus the stink bugs – they’ve already shown up) if only spring would really show itself!

A robin is the first sign of spring? I saw a robin yesterday as the snow, ice and freezing rain was coming down. The first REAL sign of spring is when you see insects.

No Charlotte’s Web readers here, I take it! That was where I learned that baby spiders take to the wind and fly to their own territory from their birthplace.

Back to the dandelions… They make a great salad.

@miss, many missed that. I see some around here most years.

Um, I still see that white stuff on the ground, it came in last night yuk, where’s spring!

I don’t get it (I’ll admit, I can be dense sometimes)… somebody wanna splain to me??

I’m with the turtle. Don’t want no “FooP” with flying spiders. Or spiders of any kind. …. They are to stay outside – away from me.

Yep, parasailing spiders

Spring? Where? We had snow this morning.

http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2012/07/12/balooning-spiders-at-the-chicago-hilton/spiders-2/

This is a picture of a notice from a Chicago Hilton hotel that begins “We request that you not open your windows in your suite during this time to avoid the annual migration of High Rise Flying Spiders.”

It continues “Baby spiders release silk from their spinnerets to create a balloon-like contraption. The spiders then use the balloon to hitch rides on uplifting air currents from the lake.”

Thought the species exists throughout the Northern Hemisphere, this is a particular problem in Chicago because of the proximity of skyscrapers near Lake Michigan, resembling their native habitat in rocks near lakes.

I remember once seeing footage in some nature show of baby spiders doing exactly this, so I was surprised I couldn’t find any photos of it in Google Images.

Doesn’t anybody want to point out that Alaska in the Spring is the worst place to go to avoid bugs (mosquitoes, blackflies, gnats…)?

Well, good luck turtle. Alaska’s got bugs that will carry you off into the sunset.