White-tailed house spider

Another visitor today: this white-tailed house spider. Probably a long term resident, actually. They're pretty common.

They have a painful bite, and are often accused of causing necrotising arachnidism, a nasty skin condition. Scientific studies seem to be divided over whether this is actually the case though.

I didn't take the chance. I escorted her safely out to  a far corner of the garden.

Recent visitors 2: privet hawk moth

 

Monster messages

Somebody's been climbing on my car during the night. We've heard a few strange noises lately too. Can't quite decide who or what it was. If it was a possum it was a very big one.

 

And then I remembered another slightly unusual little message that turned up a couple of weeks ago on the front doorstep. Could the two be related?

More funny turkey business

He was either trying to build a nest mound in the middle of the road, or more likely, trying to move a whole lot of mulchy stuff from the bush on the right to someone's garden, on the left. He's nested there before, after all. And outstayed his welcome I think. The humans who also live there have been trying to chase him and his building materials back over the road.

I've posted previously on these maybe not-so-bright feathered friends. See here: Talking turkey

and here: Brushing is what we do


Here's a video of today's episode: