My friend who lives on St. Simons Island, Georgia kept describing this spider to me so I could identify it. Her camera was on the fritz so surprisingly she sent me one UPS. She actually thought it would get here alive! The poor thing didn't but was the largest spider I have ever seen like this. It had woven some yellow silk in the container (with holes in it) she had put it in. It turns out to be a Golden Silk Spider. A large unagressive orb weaver. This one is a female, males being small an unimpressive.(sorry, guys) These big females are actually still eaten in the South Pacific either raw or roasted as a protein source. We don't have these spiders here but I wonder if some of you all have them, possibly the Texas Ladies?
Wish I had one of those coins so I could could get an accurate picture as to its size but it looks pretty big from this side of the screen. It's got crazy legs I've never seen anything like that before Thanks for posting Bethie Did you get a fright when you opened the package? Are you going to roast it for dinner now maybe?
Frank that is a US quarter in the picture and it measures roughly 2 1/2 cm across. Bethie, it is not indigenous to Texas. This website says Florida and other southeastern states.
I have never seen one like that around here.We have a spider that kind of looks like it .We cal it a writting spider as in its web it looks like it is writting they get that large and larger.My dad called the grass spiders .They are dark gray, light grey and black .Just don't know my spiders.
Big spider indeed but strangely attractive. I would't like to find one roasted on my dinner plate though.
