PDA

View Full Version : Found this little chap waiting for me in the garage this morning

neonpollen
15-09-2006, 12:08
Not sure what type it is, anyone know ?

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/748/Spider2.jpg
Kev M
15-09-2006, 12:37
The type that should be squashed?
Matt Charlton
15-09-2006, 12:41
all types should be squashed.
Hacker
15-09-2006, 13:25
I believe it's a common garden spider although I don't know it's proper name. They can be identified by the cross on the back.
Marcel
15-09-2006, 13:45
Spiderus Commonum Gardenium. :bonk:

Seriously thought, Kate will no doubt know all about it :)
Could do with her popping along...
pxl8
15-09-2006, 15:23
Araneus diadematus, common name is indeed Garden Spider.
neonpollen
15-09-2006, 16:24
Thanks pxl8 :) It scared the pants off me when I walked into the garage, there it was just hung there right in front of my face :gag:
h.r.ford
15-09-2006, 16:37
My house has become infested with the things! Over the last 5 days we have killed 3-5 a day and I swear they just keep getting bigger. I nkow we have spider lovers but I was bitten by a brown recluse when I was a kid and now the sight of one sends me into a cold sweat. I've called the exterminator out because Im finding it hard to sleep at night...
I'm sitting here shaking now ugh yuck ick!
Nath
16-09-2006, 22:10
all types should be squashed.

Couldn't agree more. Nice photo but I hope you killed him after you took it.
Trung_EP3CTR
16-09-2006, 23:19
OMG! That is gross:gag:
neonpollen
16-09-2006, 23:35
Couldn't agree more. Nice photo but I hope you killed him after you took it.

Nah, I left it for the missus to sort out :)
Richard
16-09-2006, 23:57
We've got loads of these in our back garden at the moment. As long as they stay out there I'm fine with them :)
Kate
17-09-2006, 10:18
Spiderus Commonum Gardenium. :bonk:

Seriously thought, Kate will no doubt know all about it :)
Could do with her popping along...
No need, someone pipped me to the post :)
Araneus diadematus, common name is indeed Garden Spider.
Absolutely stunning species. They're extremely abundant at the moment and very photogenic! For anyone who's interested - go and hunt one out first thing in the morning and watch it constructing its web. It's quite fascinating :) If people can get past the "ewww" factor and actually observe these spiders going around their daily business, I'm sure they'll find them pretty interesting!
neonpollen
17-09-2006, 11:33
My daughter spent some time teasing one of these, she would place a small twig on the web the spider came out and examined it closely, once it had decided it wasn't edible it threw it off the web.
pxl8
17-09-2006, 14:49
Absolutely stunning species. They're extremely abundant at the moment and very photogenic! For anyone who's interested - go and hunt one out first thing in the morning and watch it constructing its web. It's quite fascinating :) If people can get past the "ewww" factor and actually observe these spiders going around their daily business, I'm sure they'll find them pretty interesting!

I agree, watching the skill they employ to build and maintain their web is fascinating.
Matt Charlton
17-09-2006, 15:00
But I'm scared of them :(
Kate
17-09-2006, 21:43
But I'm scared of them :(They're not going to hurl themselves from their web and eat your face :p They probably don't even know you're there, and are much more interested in juicy flies. Just stand and watch one going about its daily business :)
Matt Charlton
17-09-2006, 22:05
You've seen arachnophobia haven't you?

The hurled themselves on that, and hid in lampshades and in popcorn too!

Seeing that film at the cinema when you're 9 years old does things to you!
pxl8
17-09-2006, 22:12
Garden spiders are pretty timid and will run off at the slightest threat. Recently there's been a few males appearing in the house that I've picked up to take outside - every one of them did its best to get away from me and I usually got to the back door with a spider hanging by 2ft of web from my hand.

I was far more cautious with the young mouse my cat was toying with in the garden yesterday - they'll bite through to the bone given half a chance.
Marcel
17-09-2006, 22:16
They're not going to hurl themselves from their web and eat your face :p They probably don't even know you're there, and are much more interested in juicy flies. Just stand and watch one going about its daily business :)

I must admit as much as I hate wasps, I'm not too fussed of spiders.
I'm not comfortable with the thought of one scuttling about the room while I sleep, but I don't turn into a shrieking banshee on the sight of one.

And I'm not a squisher. I always used to cry when my mum or sisters squished spiders.
I'm a trapper and releaser (getting the kids to say hi and bye too, so they dont grow up scared of them ;))

I must admit theyre fascinating to watch in my little tub when they're trapped. I may try and catch one in the garden spinning a web.

What's the best time / location / weather to catch one? What do I look out for?
Ally
17-09-2006, 22:30
Nice pic such great detail :thumbs:
pxl8
17-09-2006, 23:35
What's the best time / location / weather to catch one? What do I look out for?

Dawn onwards you should find them building their webs and at this time of year there should be plenty around the garden. When you find one watch the trailing legs closely and you'll see how they guide the web with it. If there's been a heavy dew you can also watch them removing the dew by rolling the drops into each other until they get too big and fall off - sometimes they drink them as well.