I love these Garden Spiders, they're one of the few things about August that's nice. They're pretty and they eat grasshoppers and crickets and they come out in the heat of Summer. These are young one's and by September they will be huge and I'll get some more pictures. I was so intent on getting that one on the foundation that I accidently backed into that one on the shed. I noticed she had a torn web and she mended it with a zigzag pattern any Singer sewing machine owner would be proud of. I put my fat finger in there to show you the size. They're real common here, but, I've heard there are places that don't have them! What a shame. The Garden Spider is harmless, useful, usually friendly and they hate being inside, so they never come into your house. They are the true sign of August that I like.
17 comments:
OMG, she's huge but beautiful and what a seamstress! I haven't seen any spiders like that up here in my neck of the woods. We have fat little yellow spiders that fall out of the oak tree in my side yard and we have tons of the fuzzy wolf spiders. They like to find their way into the basement. They're pretty big and on the fiesty side.
I know Wolf spiders scare people because of their enourmous size, but, actually they're harmless and make good temporary pets for kids. They're thick in my house, I try and catch them and evict them. I don't like killing them. Anything that eats crickets is my friend. I'll bet you don't have a lot of bugs in your basement. They take care of that.
Oh my Lord! I like reading here and this just startled the heck out of me.
Don't like spiders.
Pat,
No, they do keep the basement pretty clear. I evict some but when I see them in the Winter I leave the poor guys. They collect in a portion of the basement we use for storage anyway and never seem to venture into the portion we use. I never kill them. If one pops up somewhere he/she shouldn't be I scoop them into a papercup and put them somewhere else.
They will crawl toward you quickly like they want to bite but I've never been bitten. Maybe they are just trying to be friendly. If you look closely at their little faces they really are sort of cute.
I honestly thought that zigzag was a stitch you used to mend your window screen! My gosh, what a talented spidy.
We don't have those pretty girls here, but we have orb weavers which can get pretty big...I really look forward to seeing those guys in late August. They weave the prettiest webs.
Spiders give me the willies! I do appreciate their work in house and garden though. Just done come near me.
*shiver*
Hi Fiona! Welcome. You never know what you'll find here. Really.
My daughter hates them too, Heidi. I dunno, they eat bugs, gotta like 'em. Iowa is the spider capitol of the world, so I guess I got used to them.
Don't love spiders, but love what they do and I can appreciate the beauty in the photos you posted. That web patch is amazing and when you think about the strength of their silk...well spiders are kind of miraculous when you think about it.
As always, love your posts and photos. I learn something every day. Thank you so much for that.
I have one of those right outside my front door. My husband will not let me move it!!! It's pretty freakin' scary looking. He's hoping it keeps the neighbors away.
One of my phobias is getting bit by a Brown recluse.
During desert training in El Paso I would see guys dropping trou and checking themselves for bites every day. Armpits and crotches were the favorite target for those spiders. It scared me every day and couldn't wait to get back to the Pigmy rattlers of the Florida swamp.
I think that rattlesnakes in the wild when they first come out in the morning and catch the sun in the desert is a top image for me. Powerful, graceful and alert. One early morning our patrol took us through a canyon choked with boulders that must have been a breeding nest because they were all laid out on rocks barely getting warm and hesitatingly rattling at the odd-looking, foul-mouthed miserable grunt that stared hungrily at them. Some held their ground, others rattled and offered their fangs, and most just stared at me like cats do when they want to be alone.
jarhead
Spiders creep me out. I'm ok as long as they don't touch me....eeek. I don't mind daddy long legs though...lol
What an industrious spider. Amazing patch!
Jarhead I like watching those rattlers too and I was always upset when someone killed one. We don't have them here, we have timber rattlers that you never see and water mocasins which are usually mean and dangerous.
We supposedly have tons of brown recluse's, but, I've only seen them a few times. I guess that's why they call them "reclusive' huu?
Nice pics.
The spider was sacred in many of the old religions and associated with weaving and wisdom; not so the nasty grasshopper. There are obvious reasons for this.
Spider=Useful
Grasshopper=Pain in the Ass
'Nuff said.
You might be interested to know only the male makes the zig zag and they make it near the female, though if they enter her web she will eat him, they are also smaller than the female. Scientists do not know what the exact purpose of the zig zag is though they think it is to help hide themselves. They eat mosquitos mostly.
prety, but.. EWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! as long as they stay away from me, i am ok..
Post a Comment