Because if you do, you’ll miss sooo much. So sit back, keep your eyes wide open, and witness some of the many wonders of the Concord River.

While weeding through the mulch, I came upon mother spider with an egg sack on her back, filled with hundreds of spider hatchlings. It wasn’t my intent to disturb her, but it happened anyway. The sack tore and scores of young spiders scurried in all directions. However, many still clung to her back, perhaps hoping that was the safest place to be. It was. I left them undisturbed and moved on.

Mama spider with empty egg sack and infant spiders clinging to her back.

A daddy long legs was hiding under a piece of wood I intended to use for a new window frame. Here’s some interesting party information you may use to impress your friends and family. Daddy long legs are not spiders. They don’t weave silk; their head, abdomen and thorax are fused, unlike spiders that have a narrow waist; and, (ta dah) unlike spiders, daddy long legs have penises! They do belong to the class Arachnidae but branch off from there to the order Opiliones, while spiders belong to the order Araneae. Thank you About Education for this fascinating information.

Oh daddy!

Be careful where you walk or sit. Orb spiders spin their intricate webs in some of the strangest places. I’ve had them connecting my trash containers, across the stairway and one time across the back door frame. Elusive spiders, I am determined to capture one with my camera. Stay tuned.

Delicate, nearly invisible, orb spider web.

Lift up one of the milkweed leaves and, if you’re lucky, you’ll find a rare monarch butterfly caterpillar. With their numbers declining, monarch butterflies might soon go the way of the dodo bird and woolly mammoth. 😦

Monarch butterfly caterpillar.

No, that’s not a large bee. It’s a hummingbird moth and they’re one of the most fascinating insects I come across each summer. The snowberry clearwing (such a cool name!) is not as common as the hummingbird clearwing but much more trusting. This one settled on my finger for a rest and photo op.

Snowberry clearwing hummingbird moth.

The more common hummingbird clearwing is much more shy. It took me a while to get a photo because every time I got too close it would fly to another blossom. If you plant a nectar producing flower, you’ll probably get hummingbird moths visiting on a daily basis. So next summer make a promise to plant something, make some coffee and enjoy their company.

Hummingbird clearwing.

“Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.” Although the origin of this eloquent quote is hotly debated, this doesn’t detract from its deeply rooted meaning. The totems of change, butterflies symbolize powerful transformations. And, of course, beauty.

An old wives tale, obviously told by old wives, states if you tell a lie a dragonfly will stitch your mouth closed. I’m not sure if damselflies qualify. I hope not, because I might never speak again.  (Damn, my deck needs to be painted!)

Damselfly.

Peek under a bush and you might catch a napping duck.

Ben, taking a snooze.

Or, look across the river and wave to a beaver.

Munching beaver.

There’s plenty of wonders to see on the Corcord River. As long as you don’t blink.

Blessed be :}