Mum, or a nursery maid ...

...spider.
The spider babies, hundreds of them hatched out a few days or so ago and they have been playing the rough and tumble of a nursery full of children.

Most of them are gone now...there are still a few of them playing leap on each other and how far I can float on my silken thread.

However, today I noticed an adult spider. She is only very small and translucent and she seemed to be hugging those that had not hatched out.

I continued to watch and she was going from one unhatched unmoving spider to the other. You can see that on the first photo. I watched as she eventually wrapped one unhatchingling and brought it over to the other one that also had not hatched out yet. She appeared to be hugging or to trying to bring life into both of them. She is still with them some 8 hours later.

Is she the mum? I thought mum spider generally died after creating her nest. Or is there such a thing as a nurserymaid spider.

I don't expect any one to read or be interested in this post because of the subject matter, but believe me it has been fascinating watching these baby spiders the last few days. And despite having hundreds of babies who have literally flown the nest, this mother spider is concerned or expending effort in these two babies who have not hatched out or moved yet.

I really do hate spellcheck. I have typed the correct words I wanted on here. And when I pressed publish it changed some of my words dramatically.

Sorry for the camera shake. I only have the iPhone to take these pics and with my arthritis I cannot hold the phone in the air with no support.