Joann Merritt's Essays

A Spider & A Wasp Interrupt A Swingin’ Session
July, 1999

My daughter and I were leisurely chatting and swinging late one evening when she abruptly leaped from the swing as she shouted for me to get up. I don’t know if I voluntarily got up or was catapulted into the air by the swing’s motion. Virginia explained that a black and red wasp had landed on my pants leg and at the same time a brown spider jumped from the swing onto her leg and was traveling up her shorts! I was completely unaware of these goings-on.

The spider and wasp began doing battle. The wasp repeatedly moved in and stung the spider, then retreated. After rendering the spider helpless the wasp dragged the victim under a leaf then moved away a short distance. This is Virginia’s description of his actions: “He’s either cleaning himself vigorously to remove all that spider goop or he’s doing a victory dance!”

By that time it was dark and we had experienced our nature event for the day so we adjourned to the house.