Nocturnal Pest

 

"mythical clogger of vents"

Years ago, there was murder and arson at the satellite station. TSG says Gene was 35, played harmonica, and got bludgeoned to death in his sleep with a hammer. I found his notebook on the bookcase - GENEZARET neatly labeled in large black marker. The last note was dated 04oct94. 

The government had decided not to reopen the station after the terrible incident, so TSG wrote a grant proposal to restore the receiver himself. The deal made himself the director of a non-profit to own and maintain the station - services and data on contract, billed to the government. 

Thought I saw a baby wolf-spider in the window last night. It was perfectly still, just camouflaged as an everyday shadow. Not sure what I was looking at, I came back with the inspection torch. It glowed slightly under the UV light, popped-out a startling length of leg, and left. 

I showed the photo to TSG; he says no, it's a yellow-sac attracted by the pheromone of gasoline. They will build a new nest every day, which pressure-sensors in the vents should detect.

Sac spiders, I was told, are named for silk nest-sacs they leave behind - not the abdomen sac with the butt. Sacs are biologic containers from living things, while sacks are manufactured. If you would put your sandwich inside, it's probably a sack.