When the kids and I got home from school yesterday the weather was just taking a turn for the worst and I had washing on the line. As we made our way inside we noticed that the change had bought out a multitude of tiny critters and we spotted an interesting spider in the garden that I wanted a photo of.
A dilemma. Do I run out the back and tear the washing off the line before the rain or do I grab my camera and forsake the washing? I’m sure you can guess. I didn’t even bother worrying about the washing, and telling the kids to keep the spider busy, raced inside for my camera.
Red and Black Spider.
Pretty cool eh? These tiny Red and Black Spiders (yep, although it’s unimaginative, that’s their name) are fascinating looking creatures. The ridges on its body make it look so primitive don’t they?
When I came back out, brandishing my camera, it was to find the kids had kept it from running away by scooping it up with a leaf. They thought he was hilarious as he ran up number 1’s arm and was nearly lost in the multitude of colourful armbands that number 1 wears at all times.
Although I only intended to post a photo of the spider wandering around in its native environment I had to add this picture of the beast being restrained just because I admired number 1’s bravery. I like taking photos of spiders, but if one walks on me there is probably going to be very little left that is worth looking at.
“Mum, are these things poisonous?”
Buried words and Bushwa. 
Red and Black Spider?
Yep, Red and Black Spider. I looked it up because I didn’t know the right name for it only to find that no imagination was used whatsoever by whoever named it. Surely something so ferocious looking, although small, should have an equally amazing name!
You’d think! Even the Redback is the Redback, thank goodness the Red and Black spider is so small – it’d give me the heeby jeebies to see something the size of your ‘study’ shot.
You are so right *shudder*
🙂
ciao! luvFAB blog. spiders remind me of the tangle web we weave.
thebestdressup
Thanks 🙂
That spider is beautiful! So glad you got a picture of it, Metan!
Thank you 🙂 It is not as good as the picture of the bee I posted the other day but the bee actually stood still for a second. This guy just kept zooming around the whole time and nearly ended up inside number 1’s tshirt!
Had you asked me to hold that non-poisonous spider, there would have been mild whinging, followed by bug-eyed jumpiness.
And I am an adult with no phobia of spiders. Good grief! 🙂
Totally agree, I hold them at the end of a long stick even if it is clear they are no threat at all…. Hopeless 🙂
so how poisonous is it? 🙂
Apparently a bite will give you ‘slight discomfort around the site of the bite’ but pretty much every spider around will do that. The kids know that critters with such bright markings usually mean to stay away so they were happy to handle something that looks like it wants to kill you. 🙂
True, I guess it’s the little nondescript ones that are really scary…
Sometimes the little ones are the most dangerous, Redback or White tails are not something you want to be bitten by and they are small and live everywhere. Huntsmen are scary big and totally harmless.
I have to say that if I was bitten by a spider I might just die from fright regardless of the type of spider it was!
-shiver- I almost didn’t read this post, knowing what I’d see. The first pic was bad enough but the second? I’m going to have goosebumps for a week now. 😦
These spiders are very scary looking, if they were as big as a huntsman the slightest glimpse of one would clear the house!
Number 2 is a severe arachnophobe and has recently started to get close to spiders, which I think is very brave of him.
He even picked one up in his hand and carried it out of the house a few days ago. It was on me and small so he took a deep breath and saved me from it. I would have been happy to save myself (it was VERY small) but I was even happier to see him face his fear 🙂
Oh god I feel for him! I’ve progressed to the point where I’m kind to Daddy Long legs and can ignore spiders, even huntsman out in the garden [well, sort of from a distance] but I don’t think I’ll ever be brave enough to … touch a spider. He’s one brave kid.
He is a real gentleman and will do anything to save a girl from harm. I must still qualify as a girl so that is nice 🙂
Number 1 is completely logical so it was a case of spider small, not poisonous, no danger, all is well. Plus, letting it walk on his arm freaked his brother out so that was a bonus!
lmao – Aaaaaah, the humanizing element! Wouldn’t want him to be too perfect. 😀
That’s a pretty cool looking spider. I imagine in dappled light in the garden it wouldn’t be easy to see. Your #1 was very brave, I like spiders but not ones of that size on me, and yay for #2 🙂
In the green grass it stuck out like a sore thumb, as you can see, but when it was wandering around in the messy garden bed and everything was different colours it was far more difficult to see. Of couse having warning colours like that would probably go some way to keeping it safe.
I watched it walk around for a while and saw it walk right up to an ant. It put its foot on it unexpectedly and turned and ran for its life even though it was far bigger than the ant. Clearly it is not a very agressive kind of spider. All colourful bark and no bite!
Number I was brave, I was so impressed. Normally number 2 would be well out of arms length saying “what’s happening?” so when he picked up the spider on a short stick after I took the photo I was amazed! My superheroes 🙂
A wild looking creature!
Looking that scary it should really have venom dripping from its massive fangs. As you can see it is quite small though, so it could well have the venomy fangs and we just wouldn’t see them!
Humm someone was having a boring day when they named that spider! lol I must say your child is very brave to let that spider crawl on their arm, but it did make for a great picture:) Did you get the laundry in before the weather?
I would like to say yes but after that spider there was another that caught my eye, then another, and I only came in when my camera was in danger of getting wet. The kids went out and pulled what they could off though, my heroes again 🙂
Number 1 is quite brave like that. A while ago a Redback spider (poisonous) dropped out from behind the handle of the car as he went to open it one morning. All he said was “Wow, that was lucky, I could have put my hand on that!” Number 2 would probably have never got in the car again!
Amazing colours! It almost looks like a toy – I usually don’t mind spiders but this creature looks slightly intimidating!
Fortunately they seem to be quite peaceful creatures and don’t dash around freaking us out so they avoid the stomp 🙂
… radioactive maybe?
One certainly could have got a gig on the movie Starship Troopers, that’s for sure! 😀
Ewww! I get goosebumps just looking at the second photo. Thanks, Metan, you just gave me more nightmare material. 😉
Sorry about that 🙂 I have a few more spider posts lined up so you might have to check the titles before you have a look at them! )D