Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: weird
  • Music: Wicked, "What Is This Feeling?"

Legs legs legs legs engulf devour legs.

Brooke, being Brooke, and hence attracted to anything that involves "science" and "spiders," provided me with a link to a full-sized piece of fabric made from spider silk. Because this was awesome, I promptly shared it with my friend Rae. The following conversation occurred:

raelee: That is a lot of spiders. But very purty silk.
seanan_mcguire: I will put them all in the bed of the next human who vexes me.
raelee: *eyes you* Duly noted.
seanan_mcguire: You rarely vex.
raelee: Still, sharing my bed with a million spiders, while extremely kinky, is not high on the list of activities I'd like to participate in before my death... especially since it has a high probability of leading to said death. Therefore, I'll take the proper precautions so as not to vex.
seanan_mcguire: It'd be like, LEGS LEGS LEGS LEGS LEGS LEGS LEGS *enrobe* *devour* LEGS.
raelee: Yeahhhh, I just freaked out reading that.
seanan_mcguire: ...oooops. Sorry.
raelee: s'ok, everyone needs to have a mini seizure at their desk occasionally.

There are days when I truly feel that being my friend ought to come with a hazard advisory of some sort. Or maybe just a little label that flashes after pictures of horrible things, like botflies and flesh-eating bacteria. "WARNING: Seanan is going to think this is cool, and probably want to discuss it with you. Please begin self-sedation now."

I was invented to make sure you stay fully alert and aware of your surroundings. Lest the million spiders in your bed catch you by surprise.
Tags: animals rock, mad science, rae
  • Post a new comment

    Error

    Anonymous comments are disabled in this journal

    switch
    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    Help
  • 57 comments

semy_of_pearls

September 24 2009, 19:23:34 UTC 7 years ago

Actually, the spiders (being territorial beasts) will likely devour each other first.

I also read that article. Ultimate textile geekery FTW!

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:01:44 UTC 7 years ago

NOM NOM NOM NOM.

I love cannibalism. Arachibalism? Whatever.

elucreh

September 24 2009, 19:45:53 UTC 7 years ago

Not just spider silk, but BITING spider silk.

*shudders*

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:01:51 UTC 7 years ago

Nom!

tikiera

September 24 2009, 19:55:40 UTC 7 years ago

I don't think there is any way that a million spiders CAN'T take you by surprise. I think that the point where there are million spiders in a room, most people would have their brain overloaded either by "EEK! GETAWAYRUNNOW" or by the sheer awesomeness of a million spiders on a bed.

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:02:14 UTC 7 years ago

...yeah, pretty much. A million spiders are inherently startling.

miintikwa

September 24 2009, 19:57:31 UTC 7 years ago

They are oddly pretty spiders.

I really want to know what kind of spider is living outside on our porch. I should take a pic of the little guy/girl.

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:02:44 UTC 7 years ago

Kate has a really awesome GIANT ORB SPIDER on her porch. We call him The Return of Mr. Huge the Spider, because we had one like him last year.

miintikwa

7 years ago

  • New comment

wldhrsjen3

September 24 2009, 20:13:39 UTC 7 years ago

My favorite quote from the article:
“When we stuck them in the machine and started turning it, lo and behold, this beautiful gold-colored silk started coming out,” Godley said. Hee!

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:02:53 UTC 7 years ago

Hee, indeed.

bkwrrm_tx

September 24 2009, 20:13:44 UTC 7 years ago

::shudder::

::lifts feet off the floor, as if that would help in some way::

::laughs at self, but eyes bed warily::

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:03:03 UTC 7 years ago

I'm not local, I promise.

keristor

September 24 2009, 20:16:40 UTC 7 years ago

Pretty spiders, and OMG gorgeous cloth! But a million spiders is rather a lot...

(Being British I don't tend to think of spiders as generally dangerous, because there are very few venomous ones in the UK outside zoos. I mostly feel guilty when driving my car spoils the webs they've carefully built between it and the house...)

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:10:13 UTC 7 years ago

I like labyrinth spiders. They're so huge and fuzzy-looking and lovely.

rollick

September 24 2009, 20:17:14 UTC 7 years ago

You know, I really wasn't going to post the conversation I had this morning about the evolutionary advantages of a mouthful of baby spiders, but clearly I need to JUST FOR YOU.

(Also, the Julia Ecklar song "Black Widows In The Privy" leaps to mind.)

vincentursus

September 25 2009, 00:38:41 UTC 7 years ago

Good one, thank you for sharing.

seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

  • New comment

rollick

7 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

  • New comment

Deleted comment

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:11:51 UTC 7 years ago

Because you've met me, and you're smart.

la_marquise_de_

September 24 2009, 20:24:58 UTC 7 years ago

I quite like spiders. I can deal with that. But earwigs.... NOooo.

keristor

September 25 2009, 08:25:21 UTC 7 years ago

I haven't seen earwigs since -- er, I think since I was a kid. 40 years or so? I thought they'd died out, become extinct, or emigrated to Forn Partes.

la_marquise_de_

7 years ago

  • New comment

manynames

7 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

  • New comment

gows

September 24 2009, 20:31:56 UTC 7 years ago

There are days when I truly feel that being my friend ought to come with a hazard advisory of some sort.

I often feel that way, myself.

I always wondered as a kid why there wasn't fabric made from spider silk, or more done on an industrial level with it. Guess there is!

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:15:00 UTC 7 years ago

We few, we happy few, we animate mixed blessings.

pyre006

September 24 2009, 20:41:50 UTC 7 years ago

TA! zomg that's sooo cool! thanks for sharing

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:15:09 UTC 7 years ago

Very welcome.

iwishthat

September 24 2009, 21:28:04 UTC 7 years ago

Oh hi there arachnophobia *shudders* Remind me to never piss you off.

Meeeep.

The cloth is gorgeous, though, I'll give them that.

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:15:18 UTC 7 years ago

I promise no spiders for you.

iwishthat

7 years ago

  • New comment

cleothyla

September 24 2009, 21:55:12 UTC 7 years ago

I think that is why I like you. You have just this wonderfully twisted way of thinking. :D

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:21:37 UTC 7 years ago

I try!

catnip13

September 25 2009, 00:28:33 UTC 7 years ago

Vixy nailed it. Animate mixed blessing. But we love you anyway.

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:21:52 UTC 7 years ago

Which I appreciate greatly, believe me.

deire

September 25 2009, 01:23:25 UTC 7 years ago

I recently saw my friend's small child spider watching. His main concern? He thought that the spider might try to eat his popsicle.

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:22:12 UTC 7 years ago

It's a serious issue, popsicle-eatin' spiders.

deire

7 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

  • New comment

kyrielle

September 25 2009, 02:39:38 UTC 7 years ago

This fills me with glee, but I admit it would be much less glee-inducing if I actually thought I would vex you before someone else managed it. I do not want a million spiders. Their silk, perhaps, but not the spiders. Or in fact even a smaller percentage.

This is less fear of spiders and more fear of spider bites. I actually got enough baby spider bites, on several occasions, to itch like mad. I do not, in fact, enjoy itching. So even non-poisonous arachnids, if prone to biting, are preferred at a distance. :P

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:22:58 UTC 7 years ago

I will keep that in mind when setting up my spider army.

aryana_filker

September 25 2009, 06:38:34 UTC 7 years ago

Legs, legs, legs...uaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!
:)
I used to hate spiders with a passion, but since I really made an effort to fight my arachnophobia, I find spiders abslutely awesome. Those golden orb spiders are really beautiful (although they really have LONG legs). And this fabric. Awesome. I never thought spider silk could be this golden yellow. We only have spiders making boring white silk over here.

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:23:22 UTC 7 years ago

Maybe it only looks white because it's so thin...

aryana_filker

7 years ago

  • New comment

jacylrin

September 25 2009, 12:31:20 UTC 7 years ago

That fabric is absolutely gorgeous! Hopefully they can figure out ways to commercially produce spider silk before too long. Fabulous stuff.

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:23:38 UTC 7 years ago

Agreed, and so very strong.

all_ephemera

September 25 2009, 17:42:53 UTC 7 years ago

... on second though, maybe it's a very good thing you live all the way across the country.

seanan_mcguire

September 25 2009, 18:23:54 UTC 7 years ago

I point out that you have never vexed me.

all_ephemera

7 years ago

  • New comment

Vindication!

yarntricia

September 25 2009, 19:53:23 UTC 7 years ago

My response when bobmage showed me yesterday: I WANT!!!! Not the spiders, not the fabric, I want the thread. 400 yard fiber length?! drool, drool! I really, really, really want to crochet with spider silk. Several years ago when word first came out of the goats genegeneered to produce silk in their milk - I wanted the thread. It was very disappointing to read the press release from that they had "abandoned their efforts to make yarn", and were going to stick with felting it.

Then last summer, when our yard filled with spiders, and spider webs, I started seriously contemplating stealing their webs. I got as far as determining how many strands would be needed - 16 - and our silk is still white at that thickness.

I even asked the bug zoo guy if tarantulas could be trained to spin more usefully - he scoffed! Now I learn that not only, am I NOT the only person to contemplate it, but someone spent half a million dollars doing it! And there were earlier attempts (which were thought to be successful). So, if I am crazy, at least I am not alone!

Re: Vindication!

seanan_mcguire

September 26 2009, 15:39:31 UTC 7 years ago

See, tarantulas, maybe not so much; they do short-strand webs, so I can see where you'd want to stick with the orb weavers. Let us just avoid the lesson of Ice Spiders, wherein they made orb weavers the size of cocker spaniels. The silk isn't worth it.

mbumby

September 28 2009, 20:29:01 UTC 7 years ago

Oh, that's just lovely -- as are they -- but, from the description, it doesn't sound like they survived the extraction process.

deakat

September 28 2009, 20:46:28 UTC 7 years ago

You may have missed the paragraph in the article that said:

"Once the spiders had been milked, they were released into back into the wild, where Godley said it takes them about a week to regenerate their silk. “We can go back and re-silk the same spiders,” he said. “It’s like the gift that never stops giving.”"

mbumby

7 years ago

  • New comment