PART 2/2
Hey, welcome back Spider Warriors! You really are committed to overcoming your fear of spiders. High five (or high one if you’re a spider!)
So in part 1 we had steps 1. and 2. where we looked at cartoon spiders and hopefully you’re OK with that (if not check out Part 1 of this blog). Maybe you’ve even written a story with a cute or heroic spider in.
Go to Milton's News for some amazing coloured-in Miltons that spider-fans have created:
3. When you’re ready it’s time to introduce you to Lucas the Spider:
Lucas is the cutest little cartoon spider – and you’ll be fine, trust me.
and if you like that you can try this show from a few years ago called ‘Spider in the Bath’:
4. Next, we’re moving on to some cute and beautiful spiders.
These are real spiders doing real things, so only scroll down when you feel completely comfortable with step 3.
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Go for it!
5. Now you’re ready to move onto real spiders ... are you ready?
Garden spiders are the best to start with, AKA One Short, AKA Araneus diadematus.
These are my favourite to begin with as it is easy to see them as talented artists. They are creative, and miraculous and quite, quite incredible because they can do this
Go into your garden, a park, a cemetery, or out into the countryside and find a web (preferably with a spider on!)
Take a moment to look at the web – so delicate, but super strong, beautiful, but powerful, miraculous but terribly practical.
Can you really be afraid of the artist that created it?
6. Give the spiders you see around you names
Nice names. Like Milton, Audrey, or Ralph.
Give them a story.
Give them friends.
I still flinch when I see a house spider (a Tegenaria) until I remember – it’s just Ralph and he’s probably fallen in the bath trying to get a fly. Ralph always has the munchies.
Then I give him my best stern look, remind him that he’s supposed to be cutting down on bugs, and help him out of the bath.
Keep going. Don’t go too far and scare yourself, because that could make things worse. If you’re unsure, go back a step and repeat.
If you’re doing OK, grab some books (from a local high-street bookshop, or library) and keep looking, keep learning, keep loving spiders.
I’d love to hear from you – let me know how you’ve got on, why you were scared, what stage you’re at, or if you’ve gone all the way and now a Spider Warrior!
Tell me your favourite spider fact, or your favourite spider species.