Tuesday 29 September 2009

Two Quick Things

A Daddy Long Legs found by C. today in Forest School. She was being ever so gentle and was stroking it! I have never looked at one so closely before and thought it was beautiful. It had such lovely greeny browns on its back and delicate lacy wings. I saw a small but horrible drama involving one of these last week. I was collecting the milk from the gates and was surprised by a rapidly flying thing landing on the ground nearby. My first thought was that it was a wasp spider! That's what it looked like. When I looked closely I could see that it was a DLL brought down in mid-air by a wasp which was then grappling with it and killing it as I watched. I did wonder whether to stomp on them but decided I should not interfere-and the wasp was very quick and efficient.
This is part of Maisy's drawing of Mummy (and other family members) today. I love the eyelashes!

8 comments:

→lisa said...

Hey, English daddy long legs have wings! Who knew?

Ours over here are different. Like very, very spindly spiders. I was so afraid of them when I was a kid; you never would have found me holding one!

Gabbi said...

Sarah, I admire your ability to hold an insect :) I would've freaked out I'm sure. Best I can do is a lady bug/bird.

I also love her drawing... cute eyelashes!

Candace said...

Oh yes, things are different yet so much the same between your land and mine. Well, at least Mum's eyelashes are the same -- that's a worldwide commonality, no doubt!

How sweet the little girl was to pet the insect... all creatures great and small, no doubt. All your children sound so special and so aware.

Have a good rest of week.
Candace in Athens.

jabblog said...

The Forest School children sound delightful. I just love Maisy's drawing - it's enlightening to see what children find significant!

xxx said...

what we call a Daddy Long Legs here is Australia is a type of spider... nothing with wings :)

Anairam said...

Our Daddy Long Legs (hmmm, now what is the plural - Daddies Long Legs?) are also spiders, not flying insects. That is about the only spider I am not afraid of, although I won't sleep with one in the room. Maisie's drawing is sweet! You know what would be a great idea? A blog with just children's drawings on it. Would give the teacher(s)/school extra work though, capturing images on a regular basis and posting them, but I think it would be so great for kiddies to see their work shared across the world!

Gigi Thibodeau said...

I love those eyelashes, too! Such a sweet drawing. xo

Anonymous said...

Too cool, Sarah! Our Granddaddy long legs are big spiders with big legs and a tiny little body. I watched one eat a water bug the other night and thought it was too cool how it was holding it down and paralyzing (maybe?) it. Everything has to eat, right?