Come Into My Parlour

I made another long trek, this time on Hong Kong Island, from Wong Nai Chung Gap to Lower Aberdeen Reservoir, via Middle Gap.

It wasn't that great in terms of view; the nature trails ran inside the parks. The path was flanked by growth. It got worse as I approached the reservoir, and I kept running into large webs built between the trees, with huge spiders smack in the center.

View large image I was creeped out by this thing; it spanned the palm of my hand ... and I don't have small hands.

The Golden Orb-Weaver, or Nephila pilipes, had built its web between opposing tree branches. It was near eye-level, yet I didn't see it until the last moment. I would not have enjoyed hitting the web and having the spider take a stroll on my head.

Or clamber down my face.

My brother, who loves photographing insects, would have been in ecstacy, getting right up on it in macro mode.

Not me. I was in full-on freak-out mode.

After taking a couple of photos from a respectable distance, I ducked low and ran under the web. I worried I'd run into more, and I was right. I saw three or four large spiders lying in wait, including one that had caught a butterfly and was wrapping it up.

Come into my parlour.

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