AM I BRAVE OR WHAT??? I actually got close enough to take a reasonably clear picture, in spite of how wretchedly phobic I am!! This dude is colorful AND huge! .. Body is about the size of a quarter and that pattern is much brighter than the photo shows it. It's almost a neon lime green color. Hysterical meltdown commencing in 5....4....3....
I've seen those in my garden on occasion, and I think they are neat. But I don't get too close! I always thought those garden spiders were the biggest spiders around until I found this dock spider at work the other day in one of my planters. Compare his size to the 'Profusion' Zinnia bloom behind.
Put the meltdown on indefinite hold. That is an Orb Spider...are you familiar with the childrens book Charlotte's Web? That is a Charlotte. Totally harmless to humans. It has no teeth so it can't bite anything but it weaves a large web between plants and catches flying insects and any other bug that might climb onto the web.
I quite like spiders so long as I do NOT see them/feel them/spy them! I'm not a fan but do see them as necessary creepy crawlies that I can tolerate.
Yes, the orb spider is also known as the "Gardener's Friend" since it takes care of so many harmful insects. I dearly love to see a grasshopper all wrapped up and waiting to be a spider snack. We have them all over the flower and vegetable beds (not the herb beds, perhaps because the herbs fend off insects all on their own?) and I am careful not to disturb their webs. I love the web's zig-zag pattern, and seeing a "friend" sitting there patiently. I used to be afraid of spiders, and still don't like having them in the house, but after learning more about them I gained respect, if not affection, for them.
Oh, You wouldn't have liked the one I found while picking flowers for my farmers market... it was heavy. like heavy enough to hear it hit the next leaf... or the ground if it had made it that far (NO I did not smash it), but as I rolled over a leaf to get a better look at it, it squirted fluid from its abdomen... way weird. I have never seen a spider do that. Your spider is awesome Ronni. I love those garden spiders.
Carolyn,,Was curious about this so I looked it up. They say its common with Tarantulas if startled. And what they squirt is poo. Its harmless just don`t get it in your eyes. Says they have pretty good aim. I had never heard of that happening. I haven`t seen a tarantula in the wild since I was a kid.
All right, you all are giving me the creepy crawlies here. While I know that most spiders are beneficial for my garden I do manage to stay away and not kill them (as long as they are not on me). That being said, my number one house rule is NO PETS WITH MORE THEN 4 LEGS ALLOWED!!!
I like your 'House rule' Bosque! I didn't know tarantulas would do that, Mart. Sounds gross! I am not normally afraid of creepy crawlers though I do watch out for the 2 poisonous spiders in our area. The Hobo and the Black Widow !
