BOS Spider

[Greg Crawford]

I'm not an entomoligist, can't even spell it, but I know what kind of spider this is, BOS (Big O'l Spider). Substitute any vowel you wish.

I don't really know what kind of spider this is. I discovered it when I set a sprinkler and raised up into it's web:eek: I've seen little spiders jump several inches, so I figured this bad boy could probably clear ten feet in a single bound. However, being the courageous individual I am, I got within about 3 feet to slide the tape measure over by it. It was really pretty patient while I hit his web several times.

Below and to the right is a zig-zag pattern that is part of it's web. I have no idea what that was supposed to be. Maybe it was tired of having it's web torn down by stupid humans, so made that pattern to be obvious. Didn't work!

Just thought some of you might enjoy these. Personally, I loathe the things.

[Jim Becker]

Try this on for size.... http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?source=&parkid=&searchText=&allSpecies=&shapeID=1022&lshapeID=0&curAbbr=&lastView=default&lastGroup=4&lastRegion=&lastFilter=4&lastShapeName=&trackType=&curRegionID=&size=&habitat=&fruit=&color=&sortBy=family&curFamilyID=&regionSelect=All+regions&regionZIP=&curGroupID=4&lgfromWhere=&curPageNum=11

I had a very large one (1.5" +) outside my shop a couple years ago.

[Greg Crawford]

Boy Jim, you nailed that one fast! I'm glad it didn't drop to the ground like the page describes. I'd be buying a new camera after doing laundry.

[Lee Hingle]

Wow! he's a beauty! here are some photos I took a couple of years back of some local web slingers in the yard:

[mark page]

That's a regular garden spider. I have an intense phobia of spiders, but I do have two of these at various corners of the house. One is very out of reach and other is within my phobia distance. I have let both live as they never venture farther than their web area. I did accidentally harm the lower ones web once with a weed eater and he was missing in action for a day but rebuilt two feet higher in the same spot. I find they are good on bugs up to and including grasshoppers, so I let these two live. They actually fascinate me to a point. They stay out of the house and shop and I'll let them live. I catch the six legged bugs and mice if any, and LOML gets all eight legged creatures for me. We do have the big wolf spiders here that would make about ten of these spiders. I have weapons in the home if needed that could deal with one of these rascals if they get in lol:D

[Dennis Peacock]

Yup....we call those "writing spiders" because of the zigzag webbing they spin in the center of their web. I have one on the outside of my shop that has webbed between the shop building and a small cherry tree. It's probably one of the biggest that I've seen in a long time....Beautiful thing, but I HATE spiders...but like you, I let these live because of the other pests they eat.

[Mike Wilkins]

Spiders are gruesome creatures. I firmly believe that these creatures were not created when THE BIG GUY created the earth. They were dropped on this planet by aliens from another world just to freak us out.
They seem to love wood shops too. Dropped a piece of MDF on one last night.

[Brad Schmid]

Lee,
You don't mention where you're located, but you must be somewhere in the south... That's a Golden Silk Spider. Lot's of those here in Southeast Texas. I think they're pretty common all the way from here to Florida.

[Darren Ford]

I read recently that the zigzag pattern is believed to be for birds, so they see the web and therefore don't fly into and destroy it. No idea if thats true or not.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello Mike,

I firmly believe that these creatures were not created when THE BIG GUY created the earth. They were dropped on this planet by aliens from another world just to freak us out.
Nah - spiders are cool. They eat really annoying bugs like 'skeeters and such. I think the Big Guy had his reasons for creating spiders...

Now - relatives that are too lazy to get a job and are on the constant search for a handout,,,THAT's a different story ...;)

[Jim Dunn]

Now - relatives that are too lazy to get a job and are on the constant search for a handout,,,THAT's a different story ...;)

My mother-in-law created those things. Don't even think she had help from my FNL.:eek::rolleyes:

[TYLER WOOD]

Jim, hope your wife doesn't find out what you said about her.:eek:
Or was it her siblings you are talking about!!!!:p

[Stuart Johnson]

I'm sure the neighbors think I'm some sort of nut when I go out in the morning to put up the flag and get the newspaper. I'm out there with my rolled up umbrella swinging it around like it was a sword and I'm fighting off hoards. This year has been the worse I've seen for spiders and their webs. It isn't unusual to see strands 20 feet across with a web in the middle. Knock it down and it'll be rebuilt the next morning. If they would stay up in the trees I would let them be but they insist on spinning across the walk. It also makes mowing the yard an adventure. I'll be driving right along and bam right into s web.

We had the bulb in our guard light burn out and the guy they sent out to change it saw a big one like your photo that had spun it's web from the top of the pole into the line bracket. He wouldn't climb the pole until he got out a long sectioned pole and was able to knock it down. Watching him dodge and jump when the spider and web tangled in the end of the pole was worth the price of admission.

[Jim Dunn]

Or was it her siblings you are talking about!!!!:p

Brother in law. Spent not nearly enough time in jail. Now just mooching off of my MIL. Course it's her baby. If he was a seal I'd baby him with a bat:eek:;)

[Bryan Rocker]

When I lived out in the country in Oklahoma we had tons of spiders making enormous webs. Life was ok unless they stretched over the path into the house. Then LOML would not get out of the vehicle until I had dispatched the web and moved the spider. It was the little spiders that caused the problems, we had a significant brown recluse spider problem. So much so that when I stuck out sticky traps to catch them I would catch 15-20 of em in just a few days. It made working out in the shop unnerving at times. I can always tell how large the spider is by how high LOML screams.....Then its time to be a spider killer...........

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Spiders are tastey~!!

Take tarantula & toss in on the coals of a dying fire. the coals burn off all those woogy ugly looking hairs and cook the bug. The innards taste and feel exactly like - - - crab. You really would like some tartar sauce to go with your tarantula.

[Ken Garlock]

That, as stated above, is your standard garden spider called an Argiope by those who worry about spider names. The name is pronounced by saying the letters R G O P in rapid succession. They are harmless to humans. They belong to a family of spiders known as 'orb' weavers. A couple years ago we had about five or six webs around the house and shop. One day I caught a grasshopper and tossed it in the web. It took about 4 seconds for the spider to grab the hopper and wrap it in silk for a later dinner.

If they are not in the way, just leave them alone.

[Greg Crawford]

Even with all the compliments, I still don't like them. I do, however, leave them alone if they leave me alone. I actually have one that runs around my shop after the sun goes down. I always try to watch out for him, and so far he's been safe. He's faster than a common wolf spider, but looks alot like one. I did find a black widow under my BBQ pit last year. That one I killed, just like the coral, yes coral, snake in my back yard about 6 years ago. I even had a biology major help me skin him, so I know for sure. It was also about 32" long, a very dangerous critter to have around kids. It was one of the most beautiful snakes I'd ever seen. I've since been told that a coral snake over 30" isn't that uncommon in this neck of the swamp (SE Texas, Lousyana, etc.).

[Ken Garlock]

Coral snakes are not to be messed with. I am told that they exist here in our area, north of Dallas. The only snakes we have seen in 5 years are a couple rat snakes, and garter snakes. A few days ago my wife was cleaning out some ground cover, and rousted out a couple wolf spiders. They promptly got the shovel treatment. Two years ago we had a card-carrying-union-member tarantula wonder up on the patio. He got about a half can of bug poison sprayed on him for his trouble, and he was dead.

I had a rat snake decide to come in the garage this summer. I finally go him out in the open where I could get a hold of his tail end. He was over 4 feet long, I am guessing. He was not too happy about being caught by the tail. I carried him around to the front of the house where my wife could see him through the window. He did manage to bite me, but it was just two tiny punctures that never got sore or infected. Once my wife had seen him, I put him down in the bushes. He had a story to tell of how he escaped the big monster that held him captive.

[Stephen Beckham]

My son and I found a tarantula in our Hotel hallway once in AZ. The poor little girl at the desk asked what she was supposed to do about it.

Being that I saw the movie and believe that each has relatives that might seek revenge - we decided to shoo it out versus killing it. It was quite exciting - two 200lb men jumping and flenching everytime it changed directions. The desk clerk cried the whole time even though she was at the other end of the hall...

My son had a V8 moment at the end and shouted "we forgot to get pictures - no one will ever believe us...." I just wanted to go and clean my shorts out!!!

[Greg Crawford]

Ken, you also are apt to have scorpions in your area. I've seen them as far South as Huntsville. I was in Jacksboro (close to Wichita Falls) and found several in a well pump house. Had two things going for me, I saw them first and it was only about 30 degrees.

[Ken Garlock]

Ken, you also are apt to have scorpions in your area. I've seen them as far South as Huntsville. I was in Jacksboro (close to Wichita Falls) and found several in a well pump house. Had two things going for me, I saw them first and it was only about 30 degrees.

Yep, we have had several little bitty scorpions in the house. They were only about 1 1/2" total length and were easily eliminated with a fly swatter.

Our house has a brick exterior. When we moved in, we stuffed the weep holes with Scotch Bright cleaning pads to keep 'critters' out. The pads are porous enough to let the weep holes still work, but they keep nearly all the pests outside.