Some Bugs in the System

Well, actually it's technically an arachnid, but anyone who works in software development will agree that it's important to remove all the bugs you can.

This gentle beauty was hiding behind a stack of those three-inch thick programmer paperbacks this morning. I think this lovely lady is a wolf spider* based on the information available on What's That Bug. WTB has been an invaluable resource in sorting out my coworkers here in the lovely 'Burque. We had a number of really large and potentially deadly black widows last fall, along with some charming brown recluses. I am sad to say that before I found WTB I was on a "Kill 'em all, let God sort it out" spree.

I've since adjusted my thinking and I relocate most of my spidery office mates to the wilderness of the backyard. I still kill all black widows and brown recluses on sight, however. I have small children who play everywhere in the yard and garage, and until the little one puts on enough body mass to not die from a truly venemous spider bite, these ladies are going to have to take their business elsewhere.

Notes on this specimen: That is a 3 x 5 card and a regular size shot glass, just so you have an idea of the scope of the problem. I relocated her to a nice plant out by the fish pond, the idea being that there is shelter there from the cold nights, and lots of likely places to spin her next web.

Note to other telecommuters: This is the kind of happening that, when you tell your colleagues in the Real Office about it, makes them glad they do not work at home like you. Store up these incidents for happyhour small talk during your on-site visits.

*Upon subsequent reflection, I believe her to be a funnelweb spider of some stripe, because she had spun a lovely and very sticky web that was my first clue to her hiding place.