By Murray Schneider, Glen Park News staff
Sylvia Hochede will never be accused of being frightened of arachnids!
Photographed on October 20th, Sylvia, an Arlington Street resident and Friends Glen Canyon Park volunteer, is seen becoming friendly with a pregnant Pumpkin Spider.
Working with several other volunteers Wednesday morning, Sylvia picked willow herb and spent some quality time with her new, multi-legged pal, whose large bulbous abdomen is similar to a pumpkin. In the fall these creek-side crawlers undergo a growth spurt when food is most plentiful.
The orange spider (Araneus trifolium) tends to show up around Halloween and that is how it gets it common name – “Pumpkin Spider.”