I know, I said I probably wouldn’t do any spider posts today. It just goes to show you should never trust a guy who thinks like a spider. Anyway, we finished day 1 of the phase III spider survey early — I tell you, it’s a real joy when you’ve got a couple of well-trained students who know what they’re doing and can rip through a garage at lightning speed, identifying all the spiders lurking in shadowy corners. Preston and Maya got 10 houses done before 2:00! To celebrate, Mary and I decided to check out a couple of places right here in the little town of Morris where Argiope was rumored to reside, and we found her! Down by the railroad tracks, near the Cenex gas station on the south side of town, we found a couple of them.
I also had an ulterior motive for looking for them. We captured this one and carried it home, and I released it into a patch of native prairie plants that Mary had planted for local pollinators. It’s only fair to include local predators, as well. We’ll see if she survives and thrives and maybe spawns a local line of noble Argiope in my backyard.
Oh! That spider is gorgeous!
It’s just so beautiful!
My precious!
Just checked: our relocated Argiope is building a nice little web in our garden. Yay!
I love the evil alien Marge Simpson on her back!
Soon Mary and yerself will be relocated by a team of eight-legged poopyheadologists.
Something like an alien abduction, except without the extraterrestrials and flying saucers. Probably.
Wow having that in your yard is like having a beastly muscle car in your garage. That’s the Hemi Cuda of spiders. And yeah evil Marge on the back adds extra flair. But the black trim on the legs really sets it off nicely.
Here’s that spider in muscle car form:
https://cdn1.mecum.com/auctions/sc0519/sc0519-378669/images/[email protected]?155603267700
https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0519-378669/1970-plymouth-hemi-cuda-convertible/
Flip through to how interior matches head and proximal appendages. Sweet. The car lacks Marge but it does have a Hemi.
Nice spider.
I have to wonder how you get the students. Back when I was a student, come the 30th of April we were all stampeding off to summer jobs all over the country. One needed good funding to keep a student around.
Note I am Canadian and the academic year ends in April here.
I think we called these “Writing Spiders”.
jack16
We’ll let Her do it. Yes, Precious, we will.
I have to agree with all the other posters on here she is a pretty wee beastie ,@5 i was trying to work out
what it reminded me of .