September 29, 2009
million spider tapestry
An 11-by-4-foot tapestry woven completely from spider silk is on display at the American Museum of Natural History.
“The spiders are harnessed … held down in a delicate way,” Godley says, “so you need people to do this who are very tactile so the spiders are not harmed. So there’s a chain of about 80 people who go out every morning at four o’clock, collect spiders, we get them in by 10 o’clock. They’re in boxes, they’re numbered, and then as they get silked, about 20 minutes later, they get released back into nature.”
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I read about this, and I thought, “This would be a great job for me.” Being one of the spider wranglers, I mean.
I am an arachnophile.
I’m glad the spiders aren’t harmed. I wouldn’t say I’m an arachnophile, but I like to let the spiders be to do their work, as long as they don’t come crawling on me. Gnats are another issue entirely.
Gnats are altogether different. In fact, gnats were harmed within my own house just last night.
Coop, I combat gnats by always having someone close to me with pale/very pale skin – the sort of skin that shows veins through – gnats love them and having pale skin they generally understand the deal.
Spiders, well I love them, that may be in part because there is nothing here in England to hurt me. I like to forage for flies for them – you know, to supplement their diet!
I wonder if this tapestry is bulletproof. I see a life of crime in my future. A beautiful life of crime.