Yesterday morning a patch of spider web appeared on a box plant. Then I suddenly noticed these tiny creatures wriggling about in the web. What on earth could they be? Some new infestation?

A web search showed that it has given rise to all sorts of alarmist headlines in the popular press, but is actually quite mundane and harmless. They are new baby garden spiders. Apparently, if disturbed they all jump out on extended pieces of web, later returning back into a clump. I was a bit sorry I hadn’t tried that.

I was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t get them in sharp focus, whether by telephoto or macro zoom on my camera or my phone. But I guess it’s not that surprising, they are tiny, the box leaves are only ½-1cm across. You have to live with the equipment you have.

A few hours later, both spider babies and web had disappeared. No doubt they’re now invisibly creeping all around the neighbourhood, and getting bigger…