Spiders

[metalspinner]

I've always liked spiders.  Especially big ones!

Today while heading to the doctors office, Nick spotted this orb weaver in the flower garden.


 

On the way out, we through him a little snack. ;D
 


  


 

We visit this office twice a week.  Maybe we'll get a little video on Tuesday.

[Magicman]

I just hate it when I am on the tractor and do not see them in time to dodge.  The spider and web wrapped across your face is no fun.   :-\

[Bill Gaiche]

Here is one under the eve of our house. I took this photo yesterday. They are a really pretty spider.  can remember when I was little we always had them in the garden fence row. bg

 

[Autocar]

Here in Ohio this time of year we get some kind of spider that builds in the woodlots between trees and as you walk carrying your saw your getting them across the face and arms. The biggest spider I ever seen was when I was cutting a ash log and it ran out of a hole I spread my hand out and couldn't reach out to the ends of his legs. I put him in a jar and brought him home to show my wife. I turned him lose but I went the other way when he hit the ground  ;D

[Riggs]

This thread is my worst nightmare. I'd take a snake anyday...

[clww]

I like to watch those big garden spiders, although I'm generally wary of spiders. Being bitten by both a Brown Recluse and a Black Widow contribute to this. I appreciate the fact that they catch and eat lots of pests.

[Jeff]

We have a spider that is using almost the entire surface of our koi pond to catch water bugs I presume, before the fish get them. Several times we've went out to feed them, and had the food not reach the water. We knock the webs down and they are back within just a few hours. I gotta see if my video camera is capable of time lapse, and first day we don't have rain, set it up. Here is a picture I snapped earlier this evening. Not sure if you can tell, but almost all the flake fish food is suspended above the water by the web.



 

[metalspinner]

That's cool...except for the fish. :D

We had one of those orb weavers in the corner of the porch last year. We loved watching it each night. At some point the one pictured above will have an egg sack about the size of a dime just above it in the web.

One of the first lessons I teach my new scouts about hiking... never be the lead hiker in the woods. :D

We have one of those spots in the yard between the rose bush and spruce tree that a spider spins a web each night. I forget about it each morning walking the dog. :

[Magicman]

Always cut a small limb to hold in front of the handlebars on the 4 wheeler.   

[beenthere]

...........One of the first lessons I teach my new scouts about hiking... never be the lead hiker in the woods. :D
............

So who is the lead hiker?  And what do you teach the new scouts about leading?    :

;)

[Bill Gaiche]

The spider under our eve has two egg sacks about the diamenter of a nickle. You can barley see one in the photo. Have you ever lightly touched one while it is in the middle of the web? I have and sometimes they will start to bouncing themselves back and forth like they were on a trampoline only not getting airborn. bg

[sandhills]

Back when I was just a kid and we pulled towline irrigation 3 times a day there was always a garden spider by one well and my siblings and I had a blast catching small grasshoppers and feeding it.  It really is something watching them work, now in my older years I have to agree with Riggs "I'd take a snake any day".  I like spiders as much as Macicman likes sweetgum.

[metalspinner]

beenthere,
After teling them about the spiderwebs, there is a scramble to not be first.  Of course, I usually jump up front. ;) It makes me look brave to concur the spider webs. ;)

Two pointers I always tell them about being in front is to walk slower than ussual.  The back of the line always seems to lag behind.  And don't suddenly let go of branches you push out of the way. The guy behind you will appreciate that.

[metalspinner]

An afternoon snack...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hnwyraYeHw&feature=channel&list=UL

[Den Socling]

 

 

You have probably seen this picture. It's a camel spider. This one is much bigger than any I've seen but I saw one and that was enough. Patti and I were in Saudi Arabia. One night she opened a window and a camel spider ran across her hand. I chased that thing around a room with a shoe in my hand. I finally got him cornered and walloped him. Sure glad we don't have them in PA.

Actually, after looking at that picture again, I think it's 2 camel spiders. One is attacking the other.

[metalspinner]

Those look like they are from a Hollywood script.

[Bill Gaiche]

Our garden spider that has been on the side of the house has died this afternoon. I feed her two grasshoppers yesterday. Today she had another one in her web. She has two fairly new egg sacks by her web. They will have between 800 to 1400 eggs in the sack. After they lay there eggs they die. bg