On the subject of things creepy and crawly

look what showed up in one of my flower beds

Some kind of Orb-weaver spider?

Cool little beastie.

From what I've found, it's called a "Writing" spider. the web isn't real clear in this pic, but there is a line of "Z's" above and below her

Ah, the common garden spider. They make really prettty webs.

What is not recommended is to be walking through the woods not looking where you're going, then turn and walk face first into their web, with the spider on your face now. Results in screams and flailing and throwing your papers everywhere.

foxtrapper wrote: Ah, the common garden spider. They make really prettty webs. What is not recommended is to be walking through the woods not looking where you're going, then turn and walk face first into their web, with the spider on your face now. Results in screams and flailing and throwing your papers everywhere.

Now, try that while riding a dirt bike with an open-face helmet. Minus the papers but including the screaming and flailing. Hilarity did not ensue, at least not for me.

Duke wrote:

foxtrapper wrote: Ah, the common garden spider. They make really prettty webs. What is not recommended is to be walking through the woods not looking where you're going, then turn and walk face first into their web, with the spider on your face now. Results in screams and flailing and throwing your papers everywhere.

Now, try that while riding a dirt bike with an open-face helmet. Minus the papers but including the screaming and flailing. Hilarity did *not* ensue, at least not for me.

I did that. It wasn't a spider like that. I was in Italy and the spider was poisonous. I broke my nose killing it. By the time I got back to post my nose was the size of a grapefruit. I hate spiders.

foxtrapper wrote: Ah, the common garden spider. They make really prettty webs. What is not recommended is to be walking through the woods not looking where you're going, then turn and walk face first into their web, with the spider on your face now. Results in screams and flailing and throwing your papers everywhere.

Hahahaha! I just did that while out jogging earlier this week. I ran between two bushes and snagged into the web. I was looking at a giant yellow/black garden spider hanging from the brim of my ball cap.

Afterward I had to do that awkward look-around to see if anyone heard me squealing or saw me flailing around like a swarm of bees was under my skirt.

Hee hee, yep BTDT. My spider on me scenario was while riding my mountain bike through Umstead Park, the trail was just a wide gravel road and it was foggy out. We are rollin' pretty fast when all of a sudden I felt myself slow down noticably, then felt the web stuck to my face. Yes, the web was so strong that it slowed me down. Didn't find the spider, but that didn't stop me from jumping about and shreiking like death was imminent. The web did leave a great pattern on my glasses. After my adrenaline levels had reduced to mere heart attack levels I sheepishly got back on the bike, only to ride another 6 feet before the spider crawled out from under my brake lever and onto my hand. GAH!!!

I like spiders, more than the average bear, but I still don't want 'em on me. That one pctured is a writing spider and they do make cool webs. We had one that took up outside our front door last year and she caught a whole bunch of bugs and then made a HUGE egg sack. Then, she seemed to just disappear, I don't know if a bird got her or if it was just her time. So I gently removed the egg sack and put it in a nearby bush where it was more protected. Mostly we get huntsman spiders which are big and don't make webs. And they can jump suprisingly high when you are naked.

" And they can jump suprisingly high when you are naked. " There is SO much more to this story.

cwh wrote: " And they can jump suprisingly high when you are naked. " There is SO much more to this story.

That was my first thought

Mountainbiking in S Georgia and Florida will get you acquainted with "bannana Spiders" that are the largest north american non-tarrantula spider. They are a little larger than the garden spiders and have a bite that's a little worse than a wasp sting. At night on some single track their webs almost form a canopy to ride under.

Any spider contact or bug-in-helmet will lead to me shooting right off the trail flailing wildly and stripping my helmet off while still in motion. Just a bit paranoid.

That's a burly lookin' spider.

Ya know, when you're nekkid, roaming da house at night and then suddenly, there's a bigass spider in your living room and he's not giving any ground. First instinct is to run but there's nowhere to hide, so next you try rushing it. No luck he just throws up a front leg in a defensive posture so the next best thing? Yes, that's right, I jumped over the spider nekkid and he jumped too. He didn't get me, but I'm sure the neighbors heard me.

And now you know... the rest of the story.

ultraclyde wrote: Mountainbiking in S Georgia and Florida will get you acquainted with "bannana Spiders" that are the largest north american non-tarrantula spider. They are a little larger than the garden spiders and have a bite that's a little worse than a wasp sting. At night on some single track their webs almost form a canopy to ride under. Any spider contact or bug-in-helmet will lead to me shooting right off the trail flailing wildly and stripping my helmet off while still in motion. Just a bit paranoid.

Despite everyone (even some textbooks) calling those "Banana Spiders," the actual name is Golden Orb Weaver. Real banana spiders are deadly, and aggressive and in South America.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Hahahaha! I just did that while out jogging earlier this week.......to see if anyone heard me squealing or saw me flailing around like a swarm of bees was under my skirt.

GPS wears a skirt while jogging? Who'd a thunk!

EastCoastMojo wrote: Ya know, when you're nekkid, roaming da house at night and then suddenly, there's a bigass spider in your living room and he's not giving any ground. First instinct is to run but there's nowhere to hide, so next you try rushing it. No luck he just throws up a front leg in a defensive posture so the next best thing? Yes, that's right, I jumped over the spider nekkid and he jumped too. He didn't get me, but I'm sure the neighbors heard me. And now you know... the rest of the story.

Pics or it didn't happen?

I have a really nice sized crab spider that builds a web outside my front door every night, and takes it down every day. Sometimes its by the light by the door, and sometimes its between the metal railing and leaves of plants, but always new every day and about the size of a dinner plate. I think he was there last year, too, or just another spider in the same spot. I'm careful not to tear down the web seeing how industrious the spider is.

I also have a funnel spider at the bottom of my basement stairs. I see it go further inside its funnel web everytime I walk by. I let it live, and so do my cats strangely. I can only imagine what else its killing for me by being there.

Cool pic, BTW.

Last summer I had huge spider spin a web right next to my outside spigot. I would go to turn the water on or to hook up the hose and see him (or her ). At first it would always retreat into the funnel. Towards the end he would just sit there and look at me.

I do like insects, but spiders creep me out. I think it was that Night Gallery episode.

Well crap, I assumed you were somewhere in the Southern US, not in western MI. That's just not right. I always thought that the reason we put up with cold winters is so that we don't have to deal with big spiders. I've got an interview in Portage, MI next week, but if those things are running around that side of the state, I might have to change my mind. It's tought to tell from the pic, but how big is that thing?

It's funny, when I was younger, I loved spiders. I'd pick them up, play with them, etc. When I was about 12 years old, much like others in this thread, I accidentally walked through a web with a spider in it, depositing the spider on my face. As I screamed and wildly slapped at it, the spider dropped down my shirt. As I pulled off my shirt, still screaming like a little girl, the spider ended up back on my face. I managed to knock it off without getting bit or knocking it into my mouth, but I've hated and been afraid of spiders ever since.

Bob

mtn wrote:

EastCoastMojo wrote: Ya know, when you're nekkid, roaming da house at night and then suddenly, there's a bigass spider in your living room and he's not giving any ground. First instinct is to run but there's nowhere to hide, so next you try rushing it. No luck he just throws up a front leg in a defensive posture so the next best thing? Yes, that's right, I jumped over the spider nekkid and he jumped too. He didn't get me, but I'm sure the neighbors heard me. And now you know... the rest of the story.

Pics or it didn't happen?

Seconded!

I dislike spiders because of a bite I got.. right on my left ear. Before the swelling went down, it was BRIGHT red and about three times it's normal size.

I did not leave the house for 4 days

in reply to Schmidlap:

Her body is a little over an inch. legs and all? a bit over 3"

Smaller than the wolf spiders

minimac wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Hahahaha! I just did that while out jogging earlier this week.......to see if anyone heard me squealing or saw me flailing around like a swarm of bees was under my skirt.

GPS wears a skirt while jogging? Who'd a thunk!

I was going for more of an artistic rendering of a little girl squealing over a bug... but a kilt would rock as running wear. Nobody likes having their junk packed in nylon on a hot day. I am totally jogging in drag tomorrow.

Grtechguy wrote: Smaller than the wolf spiders

Uh, what kind of wolf spiders do you get in florida?!

I've never seen one with a body bigger than an inch!

Thank god for living in Canada, no nasty critters here (at least in Alberta)

HiTempguy wrote:

Grtechguy wrote: Smaller than the wolf spiders

Uh, what kind of wolf spiders do you get in florida?! I've never seen one with a body bigger than an inch! Thank god for living in Canada, no nasty critters here (at least in Alberta)

Florida? I'm in West Michigan