It's that time again... (Andrews: house, living in, garden)

[BklynGal2476]

To play "guess that insect"!

We found this refugee from the Planet of the Monstrous Insects living in our backyard. We think he's a St. Andrew's Cross spider, and not something venomous.

PLEASE tell me we're right!!

[anifani821]

I don't know what they are called, but I grew up w/ them around me. We just called them garden spiders, LOL. If they are venomous, no one ever told us.

[himain]

I don't know why I bother to look at these pics close up. It just freaks me out..LOL

[SunnyKayak]

Originally Posted by himain

I don't know why I bother to look at these pics close up. It just freaks me out..LOL

you must be one of those when someone says "hey does this taste bad?" and you taste it to confirm it is bad

[barndog]

huh, that's weird, i just walked outside to confirm that's what we currently have hanging in our backyard and to tell you, yes, i agree with ani, i'm from nc, and that IS what we've always called a garden spider, but...then he was gone.

(which is sort of freaky b/c the only reason i didn't shoot him with a whole can of bug spray when i first saw him was b/c we reached an agreement that i'd let him live if he agreed not to move one centimeter closer to the house or my car! )

well, obviously, i'm kidding about that second part. but the point is, i do hate (hate, HATE!) spiders and didn't kill this one only b/c i think he won't hurt you.

let me know if you find out different!

[darscry]

That is a yellow garden spider and they are harmless - and the only reason I know that is b/c I just had one scare the bejesus out of me last week! He was about three inches long and just above my head as I was out gardening..... thank goodness my dh has a fast response time when I scream! I think I just about fainted.....

[ultraviolet*]

You have one of these:

Argiope (spider - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Known as the black and yellow garden spider, or writing spider, or sometimes the St Andrews Cross spider because of how their leg configuration resembles the flag of Scotland.

I think the most interesting part of those spiders is the beautiful patterns in the webs they create -- take a look if you're brave enough!

We had a couple of them around the outside of our house too...until the exterminator came to take care of our earwig problem!

[eman1200]

I don't think spiders are insects. could be wrong.

[MrConfigT]

Which spiders have the yellow egg sacks? I thought it was these..

[beachbumssb]

We have these at our house. They tend to start out as just one or two but quickly multiply. They get really big too!! Freak me out!!! I looked them up, they are harmless and they eat the bugs so I let them be.