spiders, a dog and some fruit bats

Penny has been out in the garden the last couple of evenings, enjoying the amazingly cool weather and making sure the pesky fruit bats don't get too much of our fruit.

I've been out there at the same time photographing the exquisite spider - I think a golden orb - that builds an intricate web each night.



I've decided it's a girl, seeing she works so hard getting her home organised each evening. Here she is doing her weaving.





She takes no notice, even when I stick the camera practically in her face.



But she did have to take notice when Penny came ambling through just now and took out the long strands that anchored the magnificent structure to the ground.

And I guess even though I can admire such a beautiful creature, I'm still nervous of her. She got a fright when the bottom half of her web 'popped' out of existence, and I leaped back with a small scream as she swung perilously near my face.

Here she is with only one section of her web left.



Now I'm in here playing on the computer and I guess she's out there repairing the damage caused by Penny.

EXTRA NOTE: Amber-Mae's comment got me thinking about whether these spiders are poisonous. I've never thought so. The main problem with them is that the webs are all over the place in summer and the thought of getting a big spider on my face is scary.

So I just had a look at the Australian Museum and read

Orb weavers are reluctant to bite. Symptoms are usually negligible or mild local pain, numbness and swelling. Occasionally nausea and dizziness can occur after a bite.

Seek medical attention if symptoms persist.