WEAVING AN EXTRAORDINARY TALE

DISCLAIMER: The author of this article is not an Arachnologist, or for that matter has no idea what spiders are (except that they are eight-legged creatures), what they are made of, where they all come from, etc. The author hates them, but loves capturing them on cam. She has not, in the process, hurt them, killed them or eaten them.



The Dryad silently embraces them into her bosom. She listens to their extraordinary tale, spun in delight. She pleads for more and watches them grow. Life moves on but their legacy retains its flavour in the coffee estate, where the following photographs were taken in a bid to capture the saga woven by the spiders.

It had rained heavily the previous night. Spider webs, I thought, could never have withstood the downpour. A trek down the coffee plantation (in Karnataka), taught me a beautiful lesson - Life can always have a fresh new beginning.



Millions of these creatures had begun their journey all over again. A few even went one step further!





And you cannot miss this huge species, so regal in its black and gold outfit. It would be a while before you continue the trek.



The plantation is full of this species. And most certainly it is not dangerous for the workers show no fear as they wade through its webs everyday.



The other fascinating species can be found on trees or dangling in the air. In fact, it requires a pair of sharp eyes to spot this one, beautifully blended with the bark of a tree. While it would take me some time to get this species identified, here are a few pictures taken right outside the estate's drying ground.





For about two years in Chennai, spiders and I lived under the same roof and shared the same bed. A few, though, felt my expensive Reebok shoe a more cozy option to spend their days.

My warden was quite anxious to get rid of the domestic spiders and she did triumph. My roommate and I, however, decided to give this Mrs.Wiry a chance to lay eggs.



I left my hostel soon after and I do not know what became of them. And if you are asking me, if I've ever been bitten by one, the answer is yes! A 1.5 cm long spider pricked my shoulder to declare its presence on my body. And no, I did not transform into a spider-woman with green eyes the next day!