There is a HUGE spider in my tree!

[KimKelly]

As my kids and I were getting ready to go to school this morning we noticed a HUGE web hanging from the tree in our front yard. It was about 3 feet in diameter, all perfect, just like you see in pictures and covered with droplets of dew. And in the middle of this web was the largest spider I've ever seen! Seriously he must be the size of a silver dollar, maybe more if he spreads his legs out. Just gives me the shivers! I guess we are one of the only houses on the block ready for Halloween so early!

Kim

[Beth]

But hungry spiders eat lots of other bugs and generally try to stay out of your way. As long as they're outside, I leave 'em alone. Inside, they may or may not get a trip back outside. :D

[sunberst]

i have been noticing a ton of large spiders outside. they are more noticable in the morning when the dew highlights their webs. KILL IT! you dont want a zillion little baby spiders that grow up to be large spiders like her do you?

[jmarie]

Another tangent...
Around here, spider webs built high, mean a bad winter ahead. Do you all ever have bad winters?
Joyce

[Beth]

The gremlins are back.

Meaning my reply came before the note I was replying to -- AGAIN! But I would never be able to do that if I tried. ;)

[HejazSunKat]

Originally posted by jmarie
Another tangent...
Around here, spider webs built high, mean a bad winter ahead. Do you all ever have bad winters?
Joyce

In San Diego? I'll take a 'bad' winter in San Diego any day over one in Boston. :D

Kim - How cool about your spider! Could you figure out what kind it is? I'd be so curious if she picked my yard to build her web in. I think it would be fun to keep an eye on it.

[colleency]

Originally posted by Beth
But hungry spiders eat lots of other bugs and generally try to stay out of your way. As long as they're outside, I leave 'em alone. Inside, they may or may not get a trip back outside. :D

We were doing that with our huge garden spiders, until they decided that their favorite web spot was across our front door. I think they thought they were going to catch us. So I knocked their webs down with a broom and carried them out to the bushes.

I had to do the same thing about a month ago, but the relocated spider found an even better, warmer spot (albeit not a lot of food) in MY CAR! I didn't realize he was there until I was driving down the freeway, and he waved to me from my visor. I thought I would crash if he jumped on me. So I dumped him out at the next exit. After I was through shuddering from the ickiness of it, I discovered that he had webbed the entire back seat!

[jmarie]

I thought I would crash if he jumped on me. So I dumped him out at the next exit. After I was through shuddering from the ickiness of it, I discovered that he had webbed the entire back seat!

That is a scary thought! I guess, in the autumn, we should look before we drive!
Joyce

[Beth]

Originally posted by colleency
I had to do the same thing about a month ago, but the relocated spider found an even better, warmer spot (albeit not a lot of food) in MY CAR! .... I discovered that he had webbed the entire back seat!

LOL! That would have gotten me too. I'm usually pretty good about drving until I can get rid of a bug in the car, but that would present a challenge. I guess he needed to web the entire back seat to make sure he could have a chance at what little food there was. Or else he lobbed you an auful lot! ;)

[jjsooner73]

I agree with Beth. SPiders are good! Most of them. They eat bugs, so that works for me.

I came upon one of these in my bedroom window while mowing the yard Sunday. It reminded me of being a kid-we always found these webs and would name the spiders. It was also fun to catch grasshoppers and throw into the webs. :) They are harmless.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/Spiders/ArgiopesUS/Argiope_Eric_Fritch1.jpg

I found this interesting:
Argiopes:

These spiders are one of the most handsome spiders we can find on this planet. They are large, have a remarkable web and are beautifully colored and not venomous at all.

The spider can be identified by the construction of its web. It is the only spider that makes a zigzag line or a cross of zigzag white web material in its web. The spider hangs, head down, in the
hub. By appropriate stimulation the spider vibrates its web vigorously until it becomes an indistinct blur. Males are much smaller than females.

[KimKelly]

What a spider! That one is different from ours, Madeline, as my daughter has named her. If it's possibel for a spider to be "pretty" that one sure is.

As for the bad weather sign... since she's been in our tree we haven't seen the sun. Hmmmm, maybe there is something to it? Or maybe it's that darn hurricane south of us :).

She does seem to be far enough away from the house, although she is closest to the garage. I'm definitely keeping my garage door shut and my windows up till she's gone!

Kim

[fldivegirl]

Originally posted by jjsooner73
I agree with Beth. SPiders are good! Most of them. They eat bugs, so that works for me.

I came upon one of these in my bedroom window while mowing the yard Sunday. It reminded me of being a kid-we always found these webs and would name the spiders. It was also fun to catch grasshoppers and throw into the webs. :) They are harmless.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/Spiders/ArgiopesUS/Argiope_Eric_Fritch1.jpg

I found this interesting:
Argiopes:

These spiders are one of the most handsome spiders we can find on this planet. They are large, have a remarkable web and are beautifully colored and not venomous at all.

The spider can be identified by the construction of its web. It is the only spider that makes a zigzag line or a cross of zigzag white web material in its web. The spider hangs, head down, in the
hub. By appropriate stimulation the spider vibrates its web vigorously until it becomes an indistinct blur. Males are much smaller than females.

Great picture! We have a lot of these here in north Florida, I thought they were some type of banana spider. Banana spiders get really big and are harmless too. I try to leave them in place as long as they are not poisonous. Last year we had brown widows in the area and I killed them and destroyed the eggs. Have fun watching your spider. :)

[KimKelly]

I came home, unloaded groceries, and then came in to put them away. A few hours later I went out to get something else out of the car and thought I would check on Madeline....she's gone! And I had my garage door open and my car windows open! eeeeekkkkk! :eek:

Her whole web is gone, so I'm really thinking (and hoping !) that a bird got her. I'll be sure to check my car for webbing tomorrow!

Kim

[DanaSD]

Just last week we found the largest spider we've ever seen - I think there's an invasion in San Diego. The following day we found 3 of the same kind of spider. There webs disappear but in a day or 2 they rebuild them. My fiance has been having fun feeding them - throwing in bugs and watching them spin webs around them. But I want to get rid of them - I can't walk around my yard because them webs are huge but I don't know how to get rid of them.

[KimKelly]

Dana, we are neighbors! I'm actually in Carlsbad too, near the Ranco Carlsbad Golf Course area. Maybe our spiders are cousins???:D

Kim

[DanaSD]

We're in La Costa. Here's some picutres my DF took (and my latest attempt at posting pictures)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid81/p2641b5744c0036312f57750c61e700c3/fafc0af8.jpg.orig.jpg


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid81/pae81976fe20c4cf6708efa214be71895/fafc0afa.jpg.orig.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid81/pcc6d672a419aad59117007169820be3f/fafc0afd.jpg.orig.jpg