Spiders and Clean Windows
Do spiders have a "thing" for clean windows? Do they lie in wait for you to wash the glass before they come out in the spring? Or is it just coincidence, timing—both spiders and window cleaning being part of the rites of spring?
Of course the first place I turned to for an answer was not a naturalist, but Google. The phrase "spiders and clean windows" brought interesting results which distracted me from writing this post for forty-five minutes or so.
The third hit was a window cleaning service in Warrenpoint, Co. Down. Now does being Irish and having clean windows go together, or am I being reverse prejudiced? After all, I learned how to wash glass at the age of four from my mother who, wouldn't you know, came from a family a few miles down the coast from Warrenpoint.
(If so, then it would be fair to say that Wisconsiners share the same trait, since the first hit was a company from Appleton, Wisconsin.)
Back to Warrenpoint, here is a link to the guy's site. Warrenpoint Window Cleaner. He deserves every bit of publicity he gets. If you ever wondered why windows look dirtier after they've been rained on read Rain Water Is Excellent For Window Cleaning.
The article that caught my eye while searching was "The Spiders Webs Are Back On The Windows". When adapted to New England conditions, it seems to indicate that the concurrence between a spider's first appearance and your spring window cleaning is a matter of timing, not a conspiracy on the spider's part.
One last thought: What is one common denominator between me–a retired part-time window cleaner–the guy in Warrenpoint, and the guy in Wisconsin? We all went to college. I'll bet that they, as did I, have made more money washing windows than they ever did from having a college degree.
Credits
The spider web comes from my window. The proprietor has had a good spring. He's been there since a day or so after I washed the windows. His friend on the side window (not shown) remade his web 24 hours after I washed the window for the second time.