Little house in the ferns [Spider image warning]

I know some people are really freaked out by the sight of spiders, so please go no further with this blog if you are! 

Looking down onto curled fronds and a shiny roof 

Something has very carefully curled up some of the fronds of one of the ferns in my garden.

Something has created a water-proof roof of the finest transparent silk over the curled fronds. (It has been raining this summer Sunday afternoon and little drops of water glisten on the roof.)

Under the roof is a capsule made of webbing and safe inside are some tiny - pin head-sized - animated, multi-legged dark bodies.

This is a spider nursery and nearby, ready to defend her numerous young is 'mom' - a beautiful adult female Nursery Web Spider.

She will do guard duty for just a few days and then the little ones moult and leave their nursery.

Side-view: the little black specks (middle right) are the spiderlets

Here's mom - she is 13 mm across (about half an inch.)