Know Your Spiders

Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:24 pm

Dixana,
I used to be deathly afraid of spiders, too. However, after learning how beneficial they are I learned to respect them. Now I get downright friendly-feeling toward some of the argiopes in our garden.
Do not let a bug deter you from coming south and enjoying the weather, the friendly people, the long garden season, and the scenery. Besides, we can always use another avid gardener south of the Mason-Dixon line!

Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:39 pm

I know spiders are "good bugs", we have enough skeeters up here to appreciate them. But I still don't like them. There was a big one in my garden last year big a huge web between one of my mater plants and the shed. I for some reason decided not to kill it and got so paranoid whenever I couldn't see it I wouldn't go near that corner of the garden and stopped wearing flip flops out there.
Knowing they serve an important purpose doesn't keep me from shrieking like a 5 year old and running when I find them. I have to confess....without a shoe or a tool or a fly swatter I can't even kill them myself :oops:

Thu Apr 21, 2011 10:43 pm

Early in the morning, when the dew is heavy, the spider wonderland is surreal. On both the lawn and the trees, more real estate is covered by various web than is free from them.

Speaking of the critters, yesterday I kind of wondered if I had a spider bite, several actually, on the under side of my arm. There were three marks that itched somewhat, and when I rubbed the area, the skin just melted away as if it was half digested. Now the nickel sized area has a secondary pink ring that extends out a little larger than a half dollar. Doesn't hurt much, is not abnormally warm to the touch, doesn't seem to be getting worse and doesn't seem to be very deep. Still am wondering, as I don't remember injuring the area, though have been hauling some oak limbs which could have scratched through my shirt. Guess I'll watch it a few more days.

Bite area? looks a little odd because it is covered with liquid bandage. Kind of gross huh!

Thu Apr 21, 2011 10:57 pm

Looks like a bite of some sort, to me.

I have those holes in my garden! I wonder if they're spider homes... I've always wondered what bores a perfectly circular, dime-nickel sized hole in the lawn and the garden but have never been brave enough to burrow down one to look and see if I can find out.

Thu Apr 21, 2011 11:23 pm

Alex I'd remove that liquid bandage and boil that out with either alcohol or peroxide and leave it out to air. I can't tell very well from the pic but it's looks kind of pussy and should be allowed to drain. How big is it? If it's still seeping by tomorrow you should probably have it looked at before the weekend comes.

Fri Apr 22, 2011 1:09 am

Trinoc,
Doodlebugs? Stick a straw down the hole and see what grabs on. Doodlebugs are prevalent in the south. If not a Doodlebug, it might be a wolf spider, which makes a hole and drags its prey down into it. Don't worry--you're too big to be a wolf spider's meal!

Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:25 am

Lol @ the OP! :lol:

Thanks for sharing that.

I lost my tarantula. She was on my bed and I forgot to put her back in the tank and then she was just gone. But I can get one of these soon and I'm naming her Alix! She can live 30 years.

The only ones i don't like are the brown recluses and we have a lot of those here. But we always have Adolphs meat tenderizer for that. Telegraph spiders are really cool too and so are jumping spiders!