Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Eeeeeeek!

It's never good when you walk out the back door, headed to work, and the husband yells, "DUCK!"  Just as I heard the word, I felt it across my forehead.  Luckily I was quick and didn't get tangled up in it.  I took a step back and raised up.  There it was....a HUGE spider's web in the doorway.  That spider was busy overnight.

But we don't have your average spiders this time of year.  We have enormous mutant spiders.  What we call wolf spiders.  Don't know if that's even the correct name for them but that's what we've always called them.  Actually, I usually address them very formally as Mister Wolf.  In fact, after I ran into the web at the back door, we kindly asked Mr. Wolf to relocate.

Would you like to meet some of the Wolf family hanging around?

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One good thing about Wolfies, they eat grasshoppers!

30 comments:

Jocelyn said...

KIT ! OMG!!! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG

I would be feaking out!

Tami Weingartner said...

Sweet Jesus! This is just one of the things that freaks me out about TX...the others are the weather, snakes & scorpions....I think I'll just stick to PA!

Leah said...

Ewww.... great pics though! I am not too crazy about spiders...

BridgeEtta said...

Ick! Rattlesnakes are prettier than that. You left us to imagine how big they are and being in Texas I'll be dreaming of a 6 inch long really ugly guy
in my hair now.

Shirley said...

AAAAACKKK! That is one incredible spider, it can stay right in Texas, thank you very much!

Shirley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shirley said...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argiope_(spider)

Unknown said...

DON'T KILL THOSE!! They are garden spiders and do a lot of good. They kill a lot of big, biting bugs.
See heres the Canadian version http://www.bitlesshorseblog.com/2009/09/sunday-stills-rule-of-thirdsmacro.html

Brenda said...

I think we call those cotton spiders here in Tennessee but I googled it and couldn't find it. Who knows in Tennessee it could be because we grow cotton. At least we don't call it the soybean spider.

Paige said...

icky--but outstanding photos. but you know that

Paint Girl said...

That is definitely something I can live without! I have severe arachnophobia, and seeing those pictures gives me the shakes!
That is one crazy looking spider, yucko! I would have asked him to relocate too, probably at least 100,000 miles away!

Gail said...

You should consider yourself very lucky for this yellow and black lady Garden Spider to have chosen your place as a home. She will eat lots of stray insects.

Give her a chance.

Anonymous said...

Love spider photos. I'll take spiders over snakes any old day!

Di

Marge said...

EEEEEWWWWW!

LindaG said...

We have similar spiders here. And I hate spiders!
Just why do they have to pick the doorway, anyway? It's bad enough when they grow between the house and the outside faucet, haha.

Ugh.

Glad you have quick reflexes! :)

Linda said...

Daddy Long Legs I can handle. THAT!?! That makes my arm hair stand up! shudder!!! But after I had completed my Spider Freak Out Dance I would have gentley relocated the family to a less used people area. SHUDDER!!!

Maria said...

Beautiful garden spiders, we name all ours Charlotte.

Bekah said...

im fine with spiders as long as they stay outside!

Anonymous said...

I would move! I might not even pack I'd just move. We have wolf spiders too but ours look like hairy grey demons.

Mama Mess said...

We call those banana spiders. Do they put a zipper in their web? They are big aren't they!! Purty though. We call wolf spiders the hairy black boogers. It's funny how different areas call things different! Glad you didn't get tangled up!

Kris Heinze said...

I don't comment very often but I love reading your posts (and the hubs posts too). You are so consistent there's always something new and exciting to read when I come back! Thank you.

sues2u2 said...

I was bitten by an arizona wolf spider & man, does it hurt & get swollen! Still have a scar 3 yrs later. Glad you ducked quick enough!

Mikey said...

Gorgeous!!!

Anonymous said...

My aunt has those in Southern OK and we refer to them as Guard Spiders. She doesn't need a security system when they are around :)

Vaquerogirl said...

NOT a WOLF spider- but an ORB spider and those are wonderful to have around. Please just relocate her to a big leafy tree where she can feed on flies and mosquitos!
You know I have a soft spot for most spiders and bugs!

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Faithful said...

We have wolf spiders here but they are plain ugly and grey..and are a little agressive! So if they're in my house i kill 'em. I got stung by a scorpion 2weeks ago ...and I'm still here so I guess I lived and I already have so many scars on my body no-one would notice a few more! The pain only hurts for a few hours so now spiders don't worry me so much! Must be true when they say everything is big and purdy in Texas..love your pic of this purdy guy!

CTG Ponies said...

Ew, those are huge! We have big hairy tarantula-looking things that come out of the ground and will chase you. Not a big fan of spiders...

Tatersmama said...

We've got those here in Oz... and we call 'em Golden Orb spiders. Yep, they can get big, but the beauty of their webs in the morning light takes my breath away everytime.
My and spiders are okay with one another, just as long as they know to keep outside and stay out of my house. It's SPLAT time, otherwise!

Beautiful Farmer said...

I love these spiders! Around here, we call them corn spiders or writing spiders, but I do think they are known as garden spiders. She is very pretty! These large spiders are actually really important to farmers, as they get rid of several pests. Plus, I think they add beauty to your area.