Mary has safely gone upstairs to read, so I have access to the computer to post some images of something Mary hates more than pretty much anything else in this world… Spiders.
I do not know exactly why spiders intrigue me so. Perhaps it was my time spent killing spiders with Paulsen’s Pest Control during my undergraduate years. Or perhaps it is the infinite variety of sizes, shapes and colors that fascinates me.
I do not especially like walking through spider webs and I am quick to brush off the offending gossamers when I do. I also have been bitten quite a few times and do not like that too much either.
Still I find myself drawn to new webs that I spot in the hopes that I can see a new type of spider and maybe even get some close up pictures to add to my gallery. So, here goes with some of my latest finds.
The other day I was at Jan’s house with some workers and I was clearing the area around the beach access gate when I found this unusual spider’s nest.
The spider was crusty looking with bone-white body and legs and it looked like he was doing some rough repair work on his web.
From the bottom the spider looked almost skeletal, but that is nothing compared to the stone-like look he had on the top! The crusty yellow markings on the tail competed the package of one very weird spider!
A few weeks ago this big (approximately three inch long body) hairy spider crawled out from under some bamboo edging while I was watering.
His hairy body is in stark contrast to the bony white and yellow spider above.
But, just this evening I saw a new beauty under our Seco palm tree. I first noticed the vast web structure which consisted of many layers of webbing boxing off a large area beneath the tree.
This spider’s body shape appeared similar to the venusta orchard spiders I have posted pictures of before, but his nest is not nearly as neatly prepared and he is much bigger than the small venusta spiders I have seen before. According to Google venusta spiders are only about 3/8 of an inch long, but this spider had a body over an inch long. Also this spider looks like it might have had a run in with a bird or other insect as he is missing two legs on his right side.
He was especially colorful like the venusta spiders, but lacked the vertical stripes on his back.
The macro feature on my camera allows me to get right into the faces of these creatures for that special “Kodak moment.” Check out the almost ant-like mug on this spider.
Well – there you have it for tonight. This will be one of the few posts we have ever published that Mary has not proof-read, so any errors are clearly mine. For some reason, Mary just does not have the same fascination with spiders that I do.
My guess is that perhaps I am the weird one.
Life is good in Ecuador!
I totally agree with Mary. They are all gross and disgusting and creepy! The furry one looks like a tarantula but still…. yuk!
Even looking at the pictures makes my skin crawl.
You just keep them to yourself Mr. Spiderman John.
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 00:15:20 +0000 To: sdamiro@hotmail.com
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My Mother used to have a saying something like, “To each his own said the lady as she kissed the cow.”
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That is one weird spider you saw at my house!!! Yuck!!!
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Don’t worry – I did not move the nest *into* your house!
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The pictures sure tell a picture. No offense but I hate spiders and I would be freaking out.
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Most people share your aversion to the little creepy creatures. Hope you liked the pictures though.
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Cool spiders! I’m just about to go to bed, so hopefully I won’t have dreams about those spiders tonight. I share Mary’s lack of fascination with spiders :-).
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Sweet Dreams! Make sure you show the kids the pictures.
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they’re all beautiful! Dear dear Mary! We’ll allow her to be ‘a girl’ and shield her from the spiders!
z
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I really do think they are fascinating and, especially that last one is really beautiful. But, there is nothing wrong with Mary being a “girl”. I kind of like her like that!
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Ha! I laughed at that one! Yes, we like her just the way she is!
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[?] Me too!
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wow more colorful spiders!! Great photos!!
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Thanks. Jimmy got to see the tarantula looking one while he was here. I imagine you see plenty of spiders there in LA.
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Love the pictures of stuff in the area! These spiders are so interesting looking. I would freak over the hairy one popping out on me.
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I did back up a bit when he first ran out from under the bamboo edging. He stayed still on the palm tree though so I got some pictures. Glad you like the pix.
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great pictures!!
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Thank you, Pepe. Glad you liked them.
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When I showed Ethan these pictures, he used the following words to describe the spiders: ew, yuck, ugly, mugly, bugly. 😊
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Mugly is a new one on me! Thanks for sharing his thoughts.
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YIIIIIIIIIIKES!!!!
But pretty. 😉
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Very much so. I can not believe the detail and color in these small bodies. To me it is worth getting up close to see God’s handicraft even if it does elicit some feelings of, “Yikes!”
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As my husband says, “God does good work.”
🙂
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Amen!
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They are pretty interesting, I must say. Great photos!
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Thanks, I have fun trying to get close ups.
>
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