Well, it seems our girl, later named Maryworth Gingerpot (see "Not Your Average Charlotte") has abandonned her web and perhaps even passed away. Our beloved garden spider stood guard of our tomatoes for several weeks, systematically catching insect pests within her tenacious web and bundling them in silk for consumption. The more insects she caught, the more she grew until finally a few weeks ago she constructed an egg sac and filled it with hundreds of her progeny. She kept vigil for the ensuing weeks until at last we realized that Maryworth was no longer taking residence in our garden.
All that remains is the safe pouch within which her young are maturing until such time as they are able to break free and exist on their own. We look forward to next summer when Maryworth's children will take their rightful place in our garden, spinning their webs with the zig zag pattern down the middle. Following their ancestors, they will also protect our plants from undesirable garden pests.
We will miss you Maryworth, but we will take care of your children and your children's children for the life of our garden!
