Sad news?, Worlds oldest spider dies

[Bill Dufour]

My wife has a shirt that says " all you have to fear is fear itself, and spiders"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2018/05/01/the-extraordinary-life-and-death-of-the-worlds-oldest-known-spider/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.219ad10e65af

Bil lD

[Chase Mueller]

Excellent read. I'm terrified of big spiders but hope to own a jumping spider one day. Thanks for sharing!

[Mike Wilkins]

Heard that story on public radio last week. Researchers are trying to find out why it lives so long, to maybe find something to help us humans.
It I lived longer than normal, my woodworking spending habits will be out of control.
Time to go; a Woodcraft catalog is on the bench.

[Wayne Lomman]

Not only does the small wildlife try to kill you here, it hangs around for decades to have a go at you repeatedly! Cheers

[michael langman]

That was sad Bill. Thanks for posting. So much of the natural world needs so little to survive, yet still it declines and disappears.

[Mark Carlson]

Hate those parasitic wasps.

[Jim Becker]

That was a truly interesting story...with a sad ending. Nature is amazing and terrible at the same time.

[Wayne Lomman]

I'm going out on a limb here...

I think I see this story in an entirely different light. A spider lived to 43 - that is amazing and cause for celebration of lifetime achievement. How can I be sad that a wasp performed its natural function in the world? If it didn't eat spiders, it would die. It ate the oldest one. All the younger ones get to live. Some other spider gets a go at breaking the record. A scientist lived long enough to observe the spider from birth to death and write the research paper. These are all positives.

The funeral is over, its time to head over to the pub for the wake and raise a glass to a life well lived. Cheers

[Dean S Walker]

Just read this today, wonderful story to read over the morning coffee. Thank you very much for posting this Bill. I realize I should look in this section more often, thank you again.

[Jim Tobias]

I'm with you , Wayne. This is a life to be celebrated. It is so truly amazing how species adapt and survive. The will to live is a great thing!

Jim