my new pets

[Tyrade83]

Found this little critter at work today. Magnum Bear Cub for size reference. Cute lil' fella ain't he?

 

[unklfranco]

Actually, the big ones tend to squish louder than they crunch. Especially in a car.

Years ago, i drove through the TX panhandle in the middle of a tarantula migration, literally 1000s of the spiders crossing the road, slick as driving on ice, and you just clinched the wheel thinking, "oh, god, no flat tire, please, no flat tire!" My first experience being in a sci-fi movie.

The thought of a taratula migration alone is an excellent reason for me to get a Galdius, maybe two. I had no idea something as creepy as that was taking place on this planet. I'm moving the first chance I get.

 

[fhm615]

Its amazing the level of kung-fu mastery you have when you run through a banana spider web. At least thats what it looks like from a distance.

Now that right there is funny!

 

[Garth Reckner]

Great pics. I am glad those things are at your house not mine.

Garth

 

[David Brown]

you guys are wiggin me out.

 

[SpyderPhreak]

In case you haven't already figured this out, they're called Argiope spiders, and there are quite a few variations of them. I had them at my house in TX. Pretty cool to watch.

 

[retrocon]

you guys are wiggin me out.

Wait till the next poor rattler meanders into the open on my property...

I'll get pics, and if you don't like spiders...

 

[darkaether]

if one wanders into my yard its going to get Benellified. They just had one in their backyard a few properties over last week.

 

[13ninjas]

We call those Banana spiders. They get HUGE and rock their webs when agitated. As a kid I always ran into the webs running in the woods

We call em banana spiders here in KY too. When I was a kid I would catch crickets, grasshoppers, moths, ect, and throw them into the web to watch them get wrapped up and eaten...cruel I know.

Found this guy today figured i'd snap a couple pics with my phone. This one is just a teenager....they get at least twice this size around here.

 

[darkaether]

I think its really neat how they like to hold their legs in 4 pairs, then the long 4 on the web and the middle ones to wrestle food

 

[Lexi]

You know, I like your pet! Outside, where she belongs. Spiders outside, great; spiders in my house, not so much!

Exactly how I feel! I have a size limit for which spiders I am able to kill and which ones I run away screaming from...really HATE them.

 

[retrocon]

if one wanders into my yard its going to get Benellified. They just had one in their backyard a few properties over last week.

Tears up the skin, man!

I get about one a year that won't go away... cable loop + shovel, usually. The next one, i plan on decapitating with the TGLB and adding his skin to a leather sheath. Should make for a good set of forum pics

Unfortunately, last year was without, and i might actually have to go hunting to get one this year.

 

[DanR217]

We call those Banana spiders. They get HUGE and rock their webs when agitated. As a kid I always ran into the webs running in the woods

I've seen those in Texas, but didn't get a name. There are very similar ones in Okinawa that are called banana spiders as well. If I would have to guess, I'd say it's probably more frightening than venomous. Most of the time larger spiders/scorpions rely more on their massive size to overcome their prey, rather than having more potent venom. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule...

 

[darkaether]

about a half mile from my driveway. I have a better pic but its got some guts smushed out. We have mostly water moccasins and copperheads with a few rattlesnakes

 

[retrocon]

about a half mile from my driveway. I have a better pic but its got some guts smushed out. We have mostly water moccasins and copperheads with a few rattlesnakes

Was the skin salvageable? They're actually pretty easy to skin... when i get my next one, i hope to post the steps... Mind you, i'm no expert, but except for what solution(s) to use after it's cleaned up, it's pretty easy.

Haven't figure out how to skin (hmm... exoskeletize?) a tarantula yet... actually, as an arachnophobic, not gonna try :barf:

 

[darkaether]

it probably mostly was. It would be cool to get a nice skin for a butaniku sheath.

 

[RokJok]

Those are some bad ass spiders I want one but out in Washington state we don't have much in the way of cool critters

News Flash: We *do* have those spiders -- black & yellow garden spider, aka Writing Spider due to the calligraphic squiggles connecting some of the spokes of its web. Friend of mine near Olympia has a couple of good-size ones in his garden and I've seen them on my place too. So you've likely got them in Puyallup as well.

Some info on black & yellow garden spider, including its range:
http://www.insectidentification.org...identification=Black-and-Yellow-Garden-Spider