Gross Post

If you really HATE spiders, don't scroll down too far. 

I am serious...this is a serious spider!

and I wouldn't blame you if you don't want to look.

There is a story that goes along with it. Last Friday evening we had eaten down at our house and I was taking Mom up to her place so that we could go to bed. Lately we have had a very LOUD exhaust on our vehicle because, though much work was done on the car, the exhaust was the least of its problems. Due to this, I have been parking out at the end of Mom's driveway so that I do not wake her early in the morning if I have to leave before she gets up. I say all this to express how THANKFUL I am that the Lord put it in my mind to drive Mom up to the house, then I would park at end of driveway and walk in (as she and I usually do). That particular evening Mom was having a sore knee, thus I was to drive her to the door... When we got there, the lights shining on the doorway, she started toward it and said, "What is THAT?!" On the threshold was the hugest spider I've ever seen in 53 years - my whole life! I did not dare just let it disappear into the grass, as I had to know what kind it was! Running to the back door, praying as I want, I got to the kitchen and grabbed a rubbermaid tub and the dustpan. With goosebumps, and Mom holding the flashlight, he eventually ended up in the container, which we pierced holes in AND taped shut! Needless to say, he spent the night out on the back porch. In the morning I could get on our computer and look him up. So, my PRAISE was that the Lord did not have Mom and I walk the driveway, as we may not have seen this guy and he could have easily slipped in through the doorway when we entered! As most of you already know (if you peeked) he is a WOLF SPIDER. Scroll down if you really want to see...

Just in case you don't, I will also tell you that I took him to the Post Office, where I work on Saturday mornings, covered the container with a napkin and let people know that they could look if they'd like. Most people did. I learned many stories about wolf spiders from my morning customers. One of them even caught a small spider from outside the PO entryway, which we dropped in for Wolfy, in case he was hungry. They did squabble a little but he did not eat him. Two of the customers relayed stories of their apartment building being infested with these spiders (same apt. building) and one of the ladies had reached into a nest and been bitten several times, ending up in an extended stay at the hospital, where she nearly died (she may have been allergic). The internet did say that their venom is not deadly but can cause much site pain and swelling of lymph nodes, worse if you are allergic.

wolf spider's bodies can measure anywhere from 1" to 3". This one was about 1.75 inches long.

 This next one's perspective is a little off, as the ruler being in foreground doesn't really show his true measurements. I wish I'd taken one from the front view. He was WIDE also.

A fuzzy picture, for a fuzzy spider...yes, they have hair!

We let him go in a field FAR AWAY, down the road.

So, that's your gross post for the day! Thanks for stopping by Darling Hill. I HOPE this won't keep you from visiting often!