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Tarantula


Tarantula

I have found several of these guys in the past 3 years. They are huge and hairy, about 6 to 7 inches long (The body is about 3 inches long). I've seen bigger ones but I'm just describing this particular one in the picture. This guy was behind the house. I leave them alone because they eat some of the larger pests in my garden. My grandson wants me to keep the next one I find so he can keep it as a pet and feed it crickets and things. Typical 11 year old, I guess.



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Skippy, this would have scared the living day light out of me. I do not mind spiders, but not one this size.

25 Sep, 2008

 

I've grown up in an area that has them so they are not worrisome...They truly fascinate me...I would love to watch them someday but they are so slow (unless alarmed) and deliberate about what they do, I would go stir crazy waiting for some action....not like following a butterfly....I'm reminded of flcrazy

25 Sep, 2008

 

Wow! My grandson (3) loves spiders, it was one of his first words. He loves everything live - flies, bees, frogs. He would also love your grasshoppers (?is that what they are?) as do I.

25 Sep, 2008

 

Yes! those are grasshoppers; at least if you are talking about the painted or the lubber grasshoppers. I have pictures of both on this site.

25 Sep, 2008

 

Nice photo, a little creepy though.

26 Sep, 2008

 

Wonderful example of the Tarantula. Have you seen the black ones? They're even bigger; they are the ones that are seen in mass crossing the roadway at times - though I've not seen them personally.

27 Sep, 2008

 

Yeh, I.ve seen them, too but not here, so far. I used to see them crossing the roads enmass in New River where I used to live 20 miles north of Phoenix.

27 Sep, 2008

 

Do they make a web? I believe we can buyt them here in England, but much as I enjoy feeding our native ones. I don'tr think I want one quite this big. You dio have some jolly good pictures.

28 Sep, 2008

 

My brother-in-law told me a story that I took to be a tall tale...but seeing your post I realize he was telling me the truth... back in the 60's he worked for a survey crew for a mining company and lived in Lordsburg, N.M. for a few months...He told me that if/when they had rain...the tarantulas would come out of their burrows and lumber down the roads...LOL...do you have ghilla (sp?) lizards too? Poaannua...the tarantula is terrestrial...he lives in a burrow out of the scorching sun! the black ones are HUGE as big as a man's fists held together... for an interesting story/read google tarantella...lol.

29 Sep, 2008

 

Lori-probably not much of a stretch that your brother in law told you. They do come out by the hundreds and just lumber across the road or whatever but I haven't seen them do that here...of course..I don't get out much, either.

29 Sep, 2008

 

GROSS...but great pic.

30 Sep, 2008

 

I would have to move away as I am patrified of spiders.

4 Oct, 2008

 

OMG id Dye Of fright if i saw this Skippy :( Its HUGE

28 Oct, 2008

 

I've lived most of my life in Phoenix and these were just a given. They are pretty much harmless and very beneficial. I don't see them very often and never inside the house.

28 Oct, 2008

 

I glad2hear that :)

28 Oct, 2008

 

Oh my, this is scary! I hate spiders, especially these kind. The only kind of spiders I'll allow in my garden are garden spiders. LOL! But this is a great picture of this creepy kind. LOL!

4 May, 2009

 

It is a great garden spider, jeanna...but I understand your apprehension.

4 May, 2009



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