a tale of tails, tenacity, and tedium, as told by me, usually barefoot and bellowing

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Tarantula Alert!

A recent siting caused much excitement At The Farm.  As the cool weather arrives, it is not unusual to see a tarantula  heading for winter cover.
 Curiosity reigned in catdom.  After causing a kitten to jump straight up in fright, the adults decided to assess the danger.
They weren't very concerned.
After a complete inspection,
they allowed it to go on its way
Marcy followed, camera ready
and got this amazing shot of the fangs.

28 comments:

Unknown said...

I have a really sad tarantula story.

When we moved into a house, about two years ago, we found we had a tarantula living under our front step. We let it stay there because they eat mice and the like.

Well, during a party, we found the tarantula in our backyard cowering in the corner. So, we capture it in an ice cream pail, like great helpers-of-nature are suppose to, and planned to put it back in the front yard.

Well, when we released the tarantula in the front yard near it's home do you know what happened? We found we had TWO tarantulas and the one under the step killed the one in the pail and brought it into its under-the-step cave.

I felt so guilty for days. That's what I get for stepping in to help nature.

CD

the canned quilter said...

Not much on spiders! Gorgeous picture though...

Sunny said...

I never thought of Tarantula's being in Arkansas. I may have to cross that of my states to visit list! LOL!
Great pictures!
☼ Sunny

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Gail, I saw your title and said to myself, "Don't go there, don't go there." (You know my phobia-way out there.) But you also know I don't listen to myself. I saw the first photo and moaned and quickly looked away. I saw the second photo (I couldn't stop) and looked away. Then I was hooked; I kept looking with crawling skin. By the last photo, I thought "cool" and "what majestic insects they are". Marcy's photos are great. My skin is still crawling. I can't help it.

Teresa

LindaG said...

I would have chased it on it's way, but I would not have followed it. I hate spiders. Especially bitey ones.
As long as they stay outdoors and not where I need to be, I am fine with them though.

Nice pictures though. ;)

ellen abbott said...

Beautiful and amazing creatures. We saw one on a river trip once. We have lots of spiders here (lots of spiders!) but have not seen a tarantula. In fact the big golden orb weavers that were all over the place when we first looked at the country house seem to have disappeared which I'm actually kind of sad about.

D. Jean Quarles said...

Wow! What a great photo. Wow! What a big spider. :)

mj said...

Another nice spider, and good photos considering that it is doing the best it can to camouflage itself!

Razzberry Corner said...

Gross, gross, gross! I hate tarantulas! When my husband and I lived in PR we had HUNDREDS of tarantulas in the yard. I hated them because they made me afraid to walk barefoot in the yard. So, after a few hours one hot summer day, we caught dozens and dozens of them, put them in a big covered (empty) glass fish tank, and prepared to take them out on a drive and let them go somewhere else, far, far away. I stayed away from the fish tank, I don't like to look at them. Anyway, we got distracted when the neighbors came to visit, and after many hours decided to check on the spiders and take them for a drive to their new home. Sadly, only one spider was left alive! They all killed each other and tore each other to shreds!!! I really didn't like them then! Gross, gross, gross!!!

~Lynn

Barbara said...

Wow that is a very large one, hope they have not bitten any of your animals, hugs

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

Okay my daughter is sitting here spider shocked after looking at the great photos. She went to college in eastern NM and made the acquaintance of many a tarantula coming and going to school and was always scared of them but insisted we take a look at these photos. She is still quaking......those fang shots are the killers.

Ellie Garratt said...

To everyone's horror I love spiders. They are beautiful and amazing creatures, so I'm glad you let it go unharmed. Funnily enough, I've just had a Tarantula story published in Static Movement's Creey Things anthology, and the spider, Walter, lives.

Jennifer said...

Interesting post and great pictures. I have enjoyed reading the comments too, I had no idea that they would kill each other like that.

Chickadee said...

I especially like the photo of the 2 kitty heads looking at the tarantula. Priceless.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE tarantulas. I think they are amazing spiders. If I would have one as a pet if I could.

Gus, Louie and Callie said...

What a great picture of that little fella or lady..
You kitties are doing a great job keeping your eye on it...


Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie

Pat said...

Yuk, yuk, yuk! I sure hope I don't have nightmares tonight! I don't know if I would have just let the spider go, truthfully. I'd have wanted to take a shovel to it's head. THere. I said it.

Rural Rambler said...

Spiders. They creep me out. But they mesmerize me. That last shot is very cool!

Irene said...

I'm so happy that I don't live in a place where there are spiders as large as that. I could not handle it. That's just too intimidating for me. I hope one doesn't enter your house.

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Oh dear! My "brave" just took a powder on me!! I just can't ..I try..I do..but I can't take spidy's.

CTG Ponies said...

Not too keen on spiders but that last shot is really cool.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Marcy got some great shots..beautiful! :)

katlupe said...

I used to be deathly afraid of spiders but find as I get older that phobia is just about gone. Now I like to take pictures of them and by the way, your photo of this spider was really good. Good job Marcy! I don't think we have spiders that big here in NY state and I am glad about that.

Carolyn said...

While I can appreciate the beauty of spiders and the fact that they serve a purpose... I still get the creeps when I see them.

Holly said...

Hairy spiders with FANGS!! UGH! GREAT SHOT, though!

PamelajfVotreVu said...

That was not so bad.
I am amazed at the "kilings", why? What is in their nature to kill off other tarantula's.

PJ said...

She's braver than I am! When I was a kid, I lived in El Paso, Texas. One evening I was walking out to the little picnic table near the pool in our apartment complex. I was barefooted and almost stepped on a Tarantula I would have except somebody screamed at me to watch out and I was able to miss it. I need to learn to pay attention where I'm walking! LOL! Anyway, I don't think I would be brave enough to get close enough to get a VERY close up shot like that one!

PJ

Anonymous said...

Wow these pictures are great! I lived in Woody, CA for a while we had spiders like that all around us. AT the time I never thought to take a picture.

Jenn Brockman said...

Um. Eww. Hairy spiders really bother me more than any others. Large spiders bother me even more though and that this is as big as the cat head!

how freeking scary.

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