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Thats called a silk spider. They showed one on the news here in ohio and the local biologist said it hitched a ride back with them from south carolina. That spider looks exactly like the one they showed on the news so i am 100% sure its a silk spider.
Beautiful picture, anonymous...beautiful spider (and I am afraid of them!) We have one off our deck and I admire him but have never been close enough to see him this good! Thanks for the picture. (We call them garden spiders, also)
I know I would never EVER say a spider was beautiful! I can't even watch shows about them...it's bad enough to look at pictures! To those of you who are not afraid- more power to you!
They don't bother me. I've been *rescuing* Daddy Long Legs from inside the house and putting them outside since I was a little girl so that no one would squash them. I have a healthy respect for black widows and brown recluse spiders but spiders don't scare me. I don't watch any shows about them either. I thought that one in the picture had beautiful markings and was really pretty, though.
Beautiful picture, anonymous...beautiful spider (and I am afraid of them!) We have one off our deck and I admire him but have never been close enough to see him this good! Thanks for the picture. (We call them garden spiders, also)
We have several around our house. I don't know where they spend the spring and summer, but it always seems to be a herald of fall when we see the black 'n yellow fellers show up. And since the days are getting shorter and will soon be getting cooler, I guess it will be time to revive the Lady Bug!! thread. I expect to start walking thru the house and feel the *crunch* of those little buggers as they begin to come inside.
We have several around our house. I don't know where they spend the spring and summer, but it always seems to be a herald of fall when we see the black 'n yellow fellers show up. And since the days are getting shorter and will soon be getting cooler, I guess it will be time to revive the Lady Bug!! thread. I expect to start walking thru the house and feel the *crunch* of those little buggers as they begin to come inside.
silverwing, we only see them in fall, also. So far we have never been invaded with lady bugs (see them in the garden but never had them in the house) but when it is extremely wet we have had a type of millipede/centipede or something of that nature. And they CRUNCH!!
We found one of these back by the shed the first month we moved here. The Audubon Guide at the book store said it is a "Black and Gold Argiope". We inadvertantly killed her ( she got a malathioned bug ) but two weeks later we had 3 out there. We have been mowing around them, as they are so beautiful. The females are larger than the males, FYI.
Speaking of spiders, though, we have had a run of large, about 1/2 dollar sized, legs and all, very fast, dark brown with black stripes in the house. NO WAY. We have had to kill those.... anybody have any idea what they are?
you're right, that spider picture is a "Black and Gold Argiope".
michelle, what is in your house could be a brown recluse spider, which are definitely dangerous. But they are rare, and they can be mis-identified as several different things.
it's more likely a southern house spider. they will curl up and 'play dead', unlike the brown recluse. they can bite, but aren't dangerous. they will literally crawl right across you, whereas the brown recluse really lives up to it's name - you very rarely see them. both spiders are brown/black, fast, and stay well hidden.
or, it could be a wolf spider. those things are FAST, but I think they stay outdoors, i'm not sure.
I actually think they are now the wolf spiders, because they are so fast, and I found a really cool web site here: http://whatsthatbug.com/
They also say that the spider that started all of of this is an Golden Orb Weaver as well. I also found the really cool leopard slugs on their site. I was totally freaked about the brown recluse thing, I have known people who have gotten bitten in Michigan where I am from. Thank Goodness for my cats, they usually will let me know as soon as anything is in the house. I gotta get better weather strip on the doors..... this place is a sieve
I have always called them garden spiders. They are all over the place during the spring, summer, and early fall. They love to spin webs right at your front or back door, connecting to the porch light. So you can walk right into it!!! lol
The females are the pretty big ones, the males are much smaller with less yellow.
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I expect to start walking thru the house and feel the *crunch* of those little buggers as they begin to come inside.
