Sunday, June 27, 2010

Camera Critters: Charlotte A. Cavatica

Araneus cavaticus.
If you ever read Charlotte's Web by E. B. White, you read about barn spiders. Charlotte's last name, Cavatica, is a variation of the species name cavaticus. Barn spiders are orb weavers: they eat their web every night and rebuild another one. They live in wooden buildings and in rafters (thus they are called barn spiders). They are nocturnal. Barn spiders are a North American spider and are most prevalent in New England and Canada. They are furry spiders and can get quite large and scary looking! I have zillions of them outside the house and in the barn and garage. I love watching and photographing them.

Do you know what Charlotte's middle name was (it begins with A) and what its significance is? I'll put the answer in the comments!

Click and view more delightful animals



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15 comments:

  1. Her middle name is Aranea; which is a variation of Araneae, the Order of barn spiders. Have a great day everybody!

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  2. Fascinating! I've read that book many times and it never occurred to me to wonder about Charlotte's names :) Thanks for the info

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  3. That's very kind of you to show a spider !Cat Pookie loves them and they won't live a long life, while I run away disgusted !

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  4. Andree: Neat capture of the cute little spider.

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  5. Nice capture of a nice spider. The shadow adds an extra dimension to the shot well done.

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  6. Charlotte's Web is one of my very favourite books! E.B. White sure knew how to bring happy tears to my eyes...no matter how many times I read the book to my kids.

    I did NOT know Charlotte;s middle name though. It makes total sense that she was a barn spider. :)

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  7. Beautiful spider! I like to admire them from afar though. Charlotte's Web was my favorite book when I was growing up.

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  9. Such great info about barn spiders! I never knew it.
    Thanks for your nice comment on my wasp post.

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  10. Great photo, Andree...

    Thanks for telling me about the pop up ads; I've just realized it...Can you help me how I can get rid of it?

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  11. Loved Charlotte...though can't say I'm as fond of the other spiders I meet (though they are fascinating to watch from a distance). Once dropped a spider who I found in a pencil cup on a plant the ants were milking for aphids--really, covered with ants. The acrobatics she used to get out of there were amazing.

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  12. Oh, How I love Charlotte's Web!

    What a delightful picture of a beautiful-looking spider. I gather that barn spiders are harmless?

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  13. They are beautiful...at a distance. ;) Oh, and thanks for the info on where to go to identify bugs. I'll give that a try.

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  14. just looking at it makes me shiver. im not a spider person lol


    Tina from
    Mummy Diaries
    Gossip Avenue
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    Game FreakZ

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  15. I had forgotten her middle name. Very pretty spider you have there!

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