MickeS

What kind of spider is this?

I found this little spider outside the garage last night. I HATE spiders! It was too big to stomp on though, so I shooed it away after I took the pictures.

Does anyone know what kind it is? It was about the size of the palm of my hand.





/Mike

/Mike

Patrick_S

Certainly looks like a tarantula. If I recall correctly while big the ones found in the states are harmless.

Khoa Tran

not a spider expert, they freak me out too but i think it's this one
http://www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_tarantula.html


once i found a brown recluse in my backyard, i sprayed it with lysol and stepped on it...=/

Jay Heyl

Hold a flame in the spray of lysol... instant flamethrower! (Don't try this at home, kids.) Great for taking care of those really large spiders.

MickeS

Wow, quick replies!

I should have thought of checking the Desert Museum site, it's here in Tucson after all.

It certainly seems like it's an Arizona blond tarantula, a male one. Thanks!

The many tarantulas seen on the roads in Arizona during the summer rains (July, August, September) are usually males searching for mates. The male tarantula does not survive long after his summer mating. Sometimes the female makes a meal of the male, or another predator kills him. Sometimes he dies of exposure to heat and cold. Even in captivity, out of harm’s way, males only survive a few months after mating.

/Mike

BrettB

I wonder if they would live longer if they ate pizza and engaged in self-gratification.

Dean Cooper

Speaking of spiders here are some pictures of my encounter with a brown recluse.
Warning! very graphic!

Day 3 Day 5 Day 6 Day 9 Day 10

Kevin Farley

Does anyone have a pic of a brown recluse? I've heard that they're here in Iowa, and I definitely want to know when I see one! Scary! I hope you're ok now!

JamieD

Whoa.. ouch.. want to put those as links, with a warning? I nearly lost my lunch. Ick! Hope you're okay..

My Small (But Prized) DVD Collection!

\"Actually, I am in really bad shape financially.\"

Dean Cooper

Here you go, they grow to about 1/2 an inch. By the way, majority of people just get a small painful red spot when bitten by one. They aren't aggressive at all and like to make their homes in clothes or beds that have been sitting still for long periods of time. If you have an allergic reaction to the venom your wound will erupt like the pictures above and take six to eight months to heal back to normal leaving a scar.



Sorry Jamie, changed them to links.