Friday, June 6, 2008

Yeah, this is why I can't wait to go to heaven...

This charming fellow (I choose to call him Marvin), is showing us a bird spider. So called because it feeds on, that's right, birds. A spider big enough to eat birds. Aren't birds supposed to eat spiders? Try not to lose too much sleep, one would have to go to Australia to encounter one of these beasties. However, since I subscribe to the old adage "know thine enemy," the following comprise the sort of spiders I can look forward to encountering while I'm here in S.D.:

An antrodiatidae, also known as the folding door spider


A ctenizidae, known as the trap door spider


a theraphosidae, I would need some theraphosidae if anyone ever traumatized me enough to put a spider on my face like this


And the crown jewel of scary spiders, the theridiidae or black widow spider that would kill me instantly (no, not from a bite, just from looking at it)


All this said, I must say, I've gotten GOOD at coping with spiders here. I have little brown, fast-moving, spindly legged ones in my house on a biweekly basis so I'm getting better...

2 comments:

Benjamin said...

I'm SOOOO proud of you! I remember a time when even the mention of a spider would result in a rigor mortis-esqe clamp on my arm and an "or else" style threat to change the subject. You've come so far!

Ugh...this week needs to be over.

Laura said...

Why why WHY would you put these pictures on your blog? Are you wanting me to NEVER READ IT AGAIN???? Because if that's the plan, you're doing really great. Imagine my suprise when I go to read about my lovely friend's life and there, looking me in the face, is that bird spider. No thank you.