Spiders

Eight legged, sometimes furry, sometimes thorny, showing off their fangs and striking shades, some poisonous, some harmless, Spiders are creepy crawlies and the phobia of every 5 year old.

I had bad memories with spiders in my childhood. These bizarre looking creatures often came inside the house, making me yell for help. My mom would rush with a broom to throw the spider out or sometimes...kill it. I was maybe 5 or 6 years old when I was startled by a big furry arachnid on the ceiling while lying on the bed. My heart was in my mouth! You can guess the fate of that spider ( broom stick).

The transition from an arachnophobe to a spider entomology lover was unusually smooth. Just stopping and looking at the life around us can change our perception about things we hate or have a fear of. I noticed perseverance of the spider rebuilding the web after heavy storms, and not having caught any food since days, I see resilience- the qualities that I try to nurture in myself. If I didn't disturb them they wouldn't disturb me; the fear had no base.The diverse and outstanding types of webs finely knit, of different shapes and sizes are inspiration for many scientists working on artificial silk. The small creepy bug, taught me big lessons, and continue to be the subject of research.

I have documented few species which have visited my balcony.