(www.meowbarkblog.com) — Jesse sent me a photo this weekend while I was away and scared the living daylights out of me. Why, you ask? Well take a gander at this eight-legged nightmare:
It’s not exactly a tarantula, but that is a big flipping spider when it’s next to your front door. Not to mention that its daddy longlegs friends have camped out in alarming numbers near the rest of the doors to our house. I saw what had to be a dozen of them squeezed into the spot where the fence meets the house.
Did you hear that sound? That was me shuddering and trying not to vomit.
Fortunately, according to Animal Diversity Web (no spider pun intended), these spiders, Argiope aurantia (common name, black-and-yellow argiope) are harmless. Although they may bite when provoked, their venom is not dangerous for people. "It’s only dangerous for Pickles the Pug," Jesse said as he read the description to me. "It does not say that!" I exclaimed, like it actually did. (Yeah, I know, I’m kind of a moron when it comes to the dogs, and especially Pickles.)
Ick, ick, ick. Harmless or not, I don’t want it at my house!
Contents © Copyright 2008 by Kristen King
Tags: meowbarkblog, spider, argiope aurantia, virginia, mid-atlantic, big yellow and black spider, big black and yellow spider, kristen king