Spider and jeep-redux

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
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I suppose our carport, which attracts a few zillion insects, is predator heaven at night. And I suppose, the jeep is just the place to hide, lurk, and hunt on and in.
Once more I am driving along when a massive spider crawls along the front roll bar and looks for a place to hide among the instrumentation. I assumed this was another of our very abundant Sparassids, but this one's body was huge; at a guess a little over an inch long. What was more interesting was the body was a white-blond. I suppose just before or after a molt?? It was one beautiful specimen, sort of showing off a foot from my face.
Just as we arrived in the parking lot of a large department store the pidey drops down to the floor. I'm really worried it is going to get under my feet but it had other plans. I felt it on my leg then it went up in my pants.
Well, I'm sort of relieved it won't get smushed, but DARN THAT TICKLES.
I quickly parked, got out and stomped my foot. Out it came, but two acres of pavement with cars going every which way is not going to contribute to it's life span.
My wife ran over to help. My problem is I'm a super clutz and can't catch critters without risking smushing them. So as the pidey dashed this way and that I tried to deflect it towards my wife.
She finally managed to scoop it up, but her brain has a few short circuits and loose connections sometimes. Instead of waiting for me to find a container, she walks over to the jeep and drops it in back.
We stopped off at the computer shop then then entire drive back home we were wondering where the critter is. Did it jump out? It didn't show.

And now, the next day. I'm fussing, trying to get the computer running, and I drop a screw. I stick my hand in the bottom of the case and plop! The pidey jumps on it. I draw my hand back out and it strolls up my forearm. I'm amazed, and delighted, then did a double take. There were those star gazer eyes and I've got the largest lycosid I've ever seen, posing for me. It's legs were a bit thicker and shorter than our sparassids, but this beauty had a full 4 inch leg span and as mentioned, the body was massive. In fact of the matter, in proportion, it more resembled a neanderthal version of a salticidae with extra long legs.
Well, my wife isn't the only one with brain farts. It stopped on my arm and my imagination took over. It was staring up at me as if to say, 'Look dude. This is getting ridiculous'. I got to my feet and went downstairs. It turned slowly around as if it wanted to see where we were going. I lowered my arm to the porch and it slowly strolled off and sat there. Only then did I remember the camera, and it heard me thinking. It shot off the porch and vanished.
Dumb awards welcomed and deserved. But wow, what a specimen!
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
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Another!

Apologies for the bad picture. This spider closely resembles the jeep rider but is much darker and quite a bit larger! And, she is having kids as I shot the picture, the egg sack under her belly.
At a guesstimate, her body is close to 1 1/4 inches long. She could pass for a tarantula size.

 

aluras

Arachnobaron
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Jun 23, 2008
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Wow that is quite a story, I could imagine it with illistrations and everything. Like a childrens book. :) you have a way with words.
Also the spider is beautiful, Its hard to imagine it with white in its color scheme. Let us know if you find another one.
~Aaron
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
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Introspection here. The eyes are wrong for a generic lycosidae. The two uppermost eyes are very small and set so close together they almost touch. So I suppose these are variations on our sparassids, and she is carrying the egg sack in Huntsman style. However, these two are much larger than the ones I have seen around here so far.

Our typical Huntsman on a 16 inch bucket.
 
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Spidercrazy

Arachnosquire
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Mar 14, 2010
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135
amazing story and great pictures! i like your huntsman there its got a great coloration:clap::clap:
 

Vespula

Arachnodemon
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Jul 27, 2010
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That's a great story! The spiders in your pictures are beautiful!:D
 

The Snark

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Major face palm

I showed the mammoth spider picture to a friend of the wife, an elderly lady from Aus. She took one look and inquired curiously, "Did you spray it?"

I honestly didn't have any idea what she meant. It took my brain over a minute, with her getting into a convo with my wife, before I realized what she meant.
I inquired, and our conversation went like this.

Me: "Spray? You mean insecticide?"
"Well, yes."
I gave this some thought then carefully expressed my complete frustrations of the brainless dolts modern society has foisted on our amazing planet.

"In terms of environmental damage, past present and future, and longevity of the species, that spider has much more of a right to live than humans do. Don't you think it would be more proper to spray the humans and let creatures like this that live in harmony with nature get on with their lives?" :?

She gave me a look that if humans did get sprayed, I should be at the front of the line. :barf:
 

Spidercrazy

Arachnosquire
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Me: "Spray? You mean insecticide?"
"Well, yes."
I gave this some thought then carefully expressed my complete frustrations of the brainless dolts modern society has foisted on our amazing planet.
"In terms of environmental damage, past present and future, and longevity of the species, that spider has much more of a right to live than humans do. Don't you think it would be more proper to spray the humans and let creatures like this that live in harmony with nature get on with their lives?" :?
She gave me a look that if humans did get sprayed, I should be at the front of the line. :barf:
maybe she should be right up there first in line if shes so quick to judge you like that :rolleyes:
 
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