I was working outside yesterday afternoon, and looked down just in time to see this guy casually sauntering making a beeline straight toward my foot.
The quarter gives you an idea of his size. Males are typically significantly smaller than females and this one is no exception. He’s just a little guy, much smaller and slimmer than Shelob.
What’s that? You can’t see the quarter? Oops. That’s because he’s COVERING THE WHOLE ENTIRE QUARTER with his small, slim body. But he really is much smaller than Shelob. You thought I was teasing about that, didn’t you? Nope.
Apparently the males are also more athletic than the females. When we went after him with a jar, this guy had none of Shelob’s leisurely demeanor. He’s a man with a plan and he moved with startling speed.
I found a very informative article online and learned that our guest is definitely a male, probably mature and hunting for a cute girl. From the article, So You Found a Tarantula:
Most species are nocturnal, and if one shows up in or around your house, it is just because he is trying to hide out during the day to return to his search at night (or maybe you have female tarantulas living around your house).
Yup. Give him a dozen roses, and he’s ready to go.
So now we’re thinking that maybe we should tie a string around one of his legs and let him loose in the house. What do you think?
Calm down; now I’m kidding. Do you really think I want trade in my daddy longlegs for baby tarantulas next year?
October 4, 2007 at 4:27 pm
I’ve lived through the tarantula on the loose in the house thing too. Helps to laugh about it. Since they aren’t terribly dangerous it is just the creepy part to deal with. I would really rather not have them sneeking in though, for that matter, I would rather not have the Daddy Longlegs either. Maybe just a Black Widow or two like we have.
October 4, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Okay- I HAVE to move! Now- leaving EVERYTHING (maybe everyone… okay, take the kids but shake down first!) behing. Ugh! Thanks for another nightmare!
- Heather
October 4, 2007 at 6:28 pm
Ya know Kim I once thought living in Texas would be nice but now I’m seriously thinking there is no way I could do it! NOOOO stinkin’ way!
October 4, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Did you ever find the one loose in your house? This one did not make it into your house… right???????
October 4, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Oh! I’m disappointed!! I saw the picture and thought you had found your missing spider.
Mrs. C
October 4, 2007 at 7:33 pm
AHHH! This is the kind of stuff nightmares are made of. How can you be so calm about it all? I can’t recall what state you guys live in, but I know I’m never moving there.
All that aside, I really appreciate your blog and read it almost every day. My husband and I have one child and are expecting another in April. We hope to have many children. It is inspiring to read about a family who is in the thick of raising lots of kiddos.
October 4, 2007 at 8:06 pm
am i starting to like michigan 6 month winters? am I , am I???
PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS ONE IN, please. I cannot support you if you take this one in the house…
how many of these things are around your house anyways? are they that common in TX???
I COULDNT EVEN GO OUTSIDE, COULDNT…
October 4, 2007 at 8:08 pm
You can’t see it but I am doing my heebie jeebie dance. Still……………….I think it would be cool to have one as a pet.
October 5, 2007 at 2:36 am
The worst we have in the PNW is hobo spiders. Which are quite bad enough, thank you very much. They may be poisonous, but at least they aren’t HAIRY.
October 5, 2007 at 2:37 am
The worst we have in the PNW is hobo spiders. Which are quite bad enough, thank you very much. They may be poisonous, but at least they aren’t HAIRY.
October 5, 2007 at 12:49 pm
I have been enjoying your blog for a while now. Thought I would “pipe in”. Yikes!! I lived in Oklahoma for four years. I do not like spiders. Okay, now you know two things about me. After both of my neighbors found tarantulas outside of their homes. I told my Wonderful Husband that if we found one tarantula the for sale sign would be going up and I was moving back to Michigan (and the cold)! God had the last laugh. When we had unpacked from moving back to Michigan, we found a little frozen tarantula!
Stephanie
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/inspired/
October 5, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Okay… I feel creepy crawlies going up my leg!!! AHHH!!!
October 5, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Stephanie,
Doesn’t God have a great sense of humor? He has laughed at us more than once. It’s always a good way to have your perspective adjusted.
October 5, 2007 at 10:37 pm
M-m-my, wh-what lovely pictures, Kim! :S
Arf.
October 5, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Funny, I’m almost okay now with tarantulas… they’re big enough to be less bug-like somehow…
it’s the medium sized ones that creep me out. Like the Wolf Spider running around my house last week.
EEEEEK!
October 6, 2007 at 2:10 am
Poor Eve. May ADAM would think such a hairy monster was cool-looking, but …
Well, maybe Eve was from Texas … or the Everglades.
October 6, 2007 at 5:10 pm
I had a nightmare last week about tarantulas, and them breeding in my house. And I think its your fault, lol.
I was in the bathtub crying and screaming in my dream.
I don’t think I can come back to your blog again. Between the daddy long legs and the constant tarantula pics, I just can’t take it!