Tight nest.

16°C, very windy. Dry after morning rain.

Today, the foliage spiders are nesting in two tight bunches. In close-up there are fine threads of silk holding the soft feathery tips of the fennel they have as a nursery.
I am fascinated by this. It looks like a good survival method. Good thinking mum! I expect that small birds would be a threat to these little babies. But I can’t see how a bird could stand on such a soft plant to pick off this protein rich meal.
I hope they do well, the adults are certainly attractive looking creatures.

Foliage spiders

12°C, brisk W. Sunny.
Took a tour of the garden this evening. There is plenty going on, digitalis, laburnum and lupins in flower. One of the lupins is broken, so I staked the others. Recent wind will have caught them.
Animal life: my neighbour tells me he found newts which can only have come from my garden. There are no other ponds nearby. For this, I am thrilled!
Fennel is growing faster this year, and one is especially interesting.
Foliage spiders have formed a nursery

They panic and rush apart if you prod them. It takes ten minutes for calm to return and they regroup. Delightful.