spider mug shot

Sometimes I lead such an exciting life.

After my comments in this blog a few days ago about September and Spiders, tonight was my First Encounter of Autumn 2010.

I've been working this evening and was somewhat unaware of the time. It was around 11pm. From the corner of my eye I saw a small movement on the ground. It was a spider. Not an itsy bitsy one. Oh no. It was the type that casts a very long shadow and gets main title parts in Indiana Jones movies.

It was ambling across some papers I'd tossed on the floor as part of my working process. Then I stood up and it must have spotted me.

It made a sudden comedy rush across the floor and straight towards a paper carrier bag, which it hit on the outside with a discernible thunk. I moved the paper bag away from the wall to create a little gap and sure enough, the spider ran inside the gap to "hide".

I decided to round it up.

Nearest practical implement was my empty coffee mug. A deft move and the spider was inside the mug. Sometimes spiders try to jump out of mugs but this one was a bit stunned either from the running around or just deciding that a low profile was best.

I opened a window to the darkness and tipped the spider out. The office is over the back door to the kitchen though, and I expect the spider is already queuing to get back inside at the first opportunity.

So I won't be surprised if I find another similar sized creature looking as if it owns the place in the next day or two.