Not for the Spider Phobic

[cathyhill]

Hope these are ok to post here. Here is a spider that I have been watching grow on the side of my house. We call them banana spiders and get them at the same time every year. This female has eaten a rather large meal or is egg bound. Can you see the little male in one of the photos?

[cathyhill]

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[cathyhill]

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[es]

I saw a show about them on the Discovery channel awhile back. Was pretty intresting.

[finz]

Nice photos Cathy!

[Seedy]

Very cool spiders...

[Tobeannounced]

WOW!

I wonder if she will eat the male of feed him to her young or if they will just hang out he is way smaller than her

[jennigypsy]

"FEED HIM! FEED HIM! FEED HIM!"....LOL!

Cathy-GREAT pics as always! ..I'm being serious...have you ever considered taking pics on the side for extra $$???...you've got the touch! (and/or the eye)

[punkypuffer]

they are really awesome! i heard they only live one season though... that's sad! :(

[Glaive]

Way cool pics!!!

JG I think you are scaring me ;)
Must be the side affects of child birth on a woman ;)

And puffy I believe most spiders live only one season, 80% certain lol

[aharris]

Spiders are so fascinating (when they're not crawling in my bed, on me, or into my clothing!). Great pics; maybe you should try wildlife photography. If you get good enough, you never know where you might get to go . . .

[cathyhill]

Thanks for the responses my friends.

I have always been fascinated by these spiders as I have lived in Jacksonville, Florida all my life. They usually make their webs up towards the rafters of the house (they also have the nickname of barn spiders) but this is the first time that one has made her web at eye level. When she was smaller she would eat every male that came for a visit. Now that she's at breeding age, she has had this same male with her for about a week now. I'm sure that she will eat him if he doesn't get away first. And yes, they only live for one season. Sad to say but there will be a day that I go to see her and she will be gone with only a web there to remind me of her existence. At least now I have pictures to look back on.

I am still considering a photography class...

Cathy

[jennigypsy]

hey glaive....

it's not the childbirth part..it's the care for the next 18 years!..plus, then there's upkeep of the house/web/nest...leaving dirty clothes/empty molted shells/wings all over the place for the woman/female to clean up...the spider (and many other insects ;) )..just save themselves a lot of nagging ....and eat the male....


ROFL!!!

[Vip]

very very cool CFL, got any more?

[punkypuffer]

Originally posted by Glaive


And puffy I believe most spiders live only one season, 80% certain lol


hahaha thats what i thought... wasn't sure though :D

[highplainsdrifter]

I think she should go into the post card business, I'd order some! Amazing pics as always Cathy, and very fascinating subject matter....I wonder what it's like, being 500 times smaller than your mate, hhmmmm....