I have a recurring reminder set for every first of the month, to pour some drainpipe cleaner down my main sewer pipe. There’s a cleanout access point in the basement pipe just before where it ducks under the foundation and runs outside to the city sewer line under the alley. The cap is easy to remove with one of my channel locks, but I always just hand tighten it to close it again. First I turn on the hot water tape in the basement utility sink, which is right next to the cleanout point. I let the hot run for a while, then pour half a jug of Zep down the cleanout pipe and close it back up.

I just did that now and when I opened the cleanout pipe cap I got a surprise. There was a very fine network of cobweb just inside. I didn’t see any activity, just the webbing, which wasn’t much and looked pretty disorganised. And I’m wondering WTF kind of tiny little spider is trying to make a living in my sewer pipe in total darkness.