# My little "pet"



## The Mutant (Oct 26, 2013)

So, this little guy has taken up residency among my orchids, and it seems to like it there. So far, it has made me toss/drop my Phal. philippinense on the floor (neither plant, nor spider were harmed during the incident), in horror, and it has also caused me to spray my orchids with insecticide, because I thought I had spider mites.
:rollhappy:

I'm actually glad that it lives in my collection, since I consider it a good little resident, who eats those pesky fungus gnats. The only problem is that I think it's quite creepy, and it scares the living daylights out of me. Especially, whenever I realize it's on the chid I've picked up for watering!

Here it is:






I think it's some species of Wolf spider, and it's kinda cute with its big head. Oh, and it's looking straight into the camera in the picture. It was so very aware I was watching it when I took the photo. *shudders*


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## mrhappyrotter (Oct 26, 2013)

Over here, we call those jumping spiders. Very docile and cute (for a spider). You can handle them and they don't bite, at least I've never been bitten by one. They are indeed good hunters of insect pests.


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## chris20 (Oct 26, 2013)

It is pretty cute. I like spiders where they belong--outdoors!


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## The Mutant (Oct 26, 2013)

mrhappyrotter said:


> Over here, we call those jumping spiders. Very docile and cute (for a spider). You can handle them and they don't bite, at least I've never been bitten by one. They are indeed good hunters of insect pests.


We have jumping spiders here too, but I'm uncertain if this is one. It's too big, at least in comparison to the jumping spiders I've found about, and it's not as huddled up as they usually are (jumping spiders are really, really cute, if you ask me). It also build "nests", that I've destroyed, believing they were sings of spider mites, and it seems wolf spiders do this nest building thing (don't know about jumping spiders, since I don't know anything about spiders really)...

If anyone could identify my little guest, I would be really happy. It's about 1 cm across, maybe slightly more, and according to the only information I've found about jumping spiders in Sweden, it's too big.


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## John M (Oct 26, 2013)

Ah, it's cute! I have jumping spiders like this in my greenhouse; but, they are mostly black with tiny dots of colour on the abdomen and fluorescent green fangs. 










They are very attractive....if you can get past the eight legs and eight eyes thing. My spiders do not make a web. Your spider certainly does look like a jumping spider too. Are you certain that the webs belong to it? I also have some of those very heavy bodied spiders that make a very large, beautiful web. I do not like them at all. They always put their webs across an aisleway and I walk into the web. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!! I can't stand the feeling of spider web all over my face and a big, heavy spider crawling on me. *shudder!*. The ones that make webs are either removed to the outdoors or dealt with on the spot. The little black jumping spiders are always left alone. They help keep the harmful bug population down....and they don't make webs; therefore, they never end up crawling on me. I don't mind looking at creepy crawlies; but, I freak out like a little girl if they crawl on me.


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## TyroneGenade (Oct 26, 2013)

Looks like the jumping spiders we have here in Iowa. Perfectly harmless. Once you get used to it, and do a little zen visualization of how you will react to it next time you pick up a pot you should stop getting a a fright. You can train your refelxes by thinking situations through before hand. 

Some jumping spiders can be very beautifully colored:



from here.

Wouldn't mind having a cage full of the lovely little things.


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## abax (Oct 26, 2013)

I've always called the first one John M posted (and maybe your spider too,
Theresa) a Little Elmer. The little bald head and big eyes look like the
cartoon character Elmer Fudd. Giving them a silly name has helped me get
over a fear of most spiders. I'd love to have more spiders in my greenhouse, but the skinks eat them.


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## SlipperFan (Oct 27, 2013)

I'm with Chris. Although I have all kinds of little bitty spiders all over my plants in the greenhouse. I hope they eat the nasty bugs.


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## NYEric (Oct 27, 2013)

Spiders can be your friends!


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## Secundino (Oct 27, 2013)

Oh, I love them. Ever watched a jumping spider before a jump? Good helpers against not so hairy but harmful visitors on our orchids.


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## John M (Oct 27, 2013)

Time to feed your spider! http://http://www.onemotion.com/flash/spider/


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## limuhead (Oct 27, 2013)

If you ever get a chance to come to Hawaii bring your pet. It can come over and play with the centipedes that run around in my yard...


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## SlipperFan (Oct 27, 2013)

John M said:


> Time to feed your spider! http://http://www.onemotion.com/flash/spider/



I've seen this before. Isn't technology amazing?


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## The Orchid Boy (Oct 27, 2013)

John M., actually those spiders do make webs. Only the females though. They make a web "cave" and hide in it for about a week, then they lay their eggs in it. I know these spiders pretty well, I used to breed them and raise them. No idea on their official name but I've always loved them. Spiders are my favorite, land dwelling, invertebrates.


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## John M (Oct 28, 2013)

Come to think of it, I have found a few females guarding a mass of eggs inside a "cave". However, those webs are very much out of the way and not somthing that I'm going to get all over myself. So, they're welcome in my greenhouse.

Dot, I agree! I can remember when little black and white stick creatures that moved with a jerky motion were the greatest thing! This spider program is pretty cool. Have you noticed that you can change all sorts of it's characteristics? You can make it have a fat body, a skinny body, long legs, short legs, move fast or slowly and have a bounce in it's walk or not, etc. Plus, pulling it around by a leg or by it's body looks so real! Very, very cool, interactive graphics!


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## emydura (Oct 28, 2013)

A guy here in Canberra has found some amazing things on a local jumping spider group referred to as Peacock Spiders. Thye have some amazing colours. The video is well worth watching.


http://www.canberratimes.com.au/env...ered-namadgis-tiny-dancer-20120402-1w95e.html


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## Stone (Oct 28, 2013)

http://6legs2many.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/eight-legged-freaks.jpg?w=490&h=266


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## SlipperFan (Oct 28, 2013)

That video was amazing, David. The other night, we watched a program on the Birds of Paradise in Africa, and the displays and dances they do. Who knew jumping spiders were so talented?! Thanks for sharing.


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## abax (Oct 28, 2013)

That video of the peacock spider gives a whole new meaning to the term
"jumping". Jump for your life if she isn't impressed.

I find it enormously interesting that Australia hosts all kinds of new
species and new finds seem almost an every day happening.


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## NYEric (Oct 29, 2013)

Cool, thanks for sharing.


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## TyroneGenade (Oct 29, 2013)

If think jumping spiders are amazing then you must take some time to learn a little about _Portia_: https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en&...CBgQ1S4#hl=en&q=Portia+spider+youtube&tbm=vid


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## bullsie (Nov 3, 2013)

I just love the jumping spiders. Having cats - not catts, well I do have catts..I digress here - it is tricky and every now and again they meet. During a rescue, Sis always tells the little jumpers that they have enough eyes they should have seen the ***** coming. As for wolf spiders, really like these big dudes. They are especially 'sacred' as they enjoy dining on brown recluse spiders. The later being a huge problem where we live.


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## NYEric (Nov 3, 2013)

OMG!!


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## Rick (Nov 3, 2013)

I used to train "pet" jumping spiders to take flies out of my fingers.

These are really cool and many are so pretty.


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## Dane (Nov 6, 2013)

Here's a spider that I've got in my shade house.. Its not a type of jumping spider..But its so colourfull..


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## SlipperFan (Nov 6, 2013)

And a nice webmaster, as well!


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## TyroneGenade (Nov 6, 2013)

Send us some pics when that orb web spider grows up... Should be a lot more impressive/scary.


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## Dane (Nov 7, 2013)

TyroneGenade said:


> Send us some pics when that orb web spider grows up... Should be a lot more impressive/scary.



Is that a golden orb spider I hate those things, they look so scary:sob:


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## TyroneGenade (Nov 7, 2013)

I think so... Maybe not "thee" golden orb as there are many species in S. Africa, but it definitely looks like a Nephila.

If you visit Madagascar they are EVERYWHERE and HUGE. I have never felt quite so uncomfortable as walking about in the woods there.

I'm told they are pretty harmless and largely unreactive. They will totally ignore you unless you mess with them. Then they move like lightning.


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## cnycharles (Nov 7, 2013)

bullsie said:


> As for wolf spiders, really like these big dudes. They are especially 'sacred' as they enjoy dining on brown recluse spiders. The later being a huge problem where we live.



I have a feeling there are a bunch here, (recluse) as certain times of year brown spiders start trucking through my upstairs apartment (and I fetch the Lysol or vacuum cleaner)

At my former greenhouse employer, at times when we were up on the plastic greenhouse roofs, I'd see different jumping spiders wandering around up there. Once in a while I'd even see small jumpers attacking and eating tiny jumpers. Seems like there'd be a 'code' where one jumper wouldn't bother another, but I guess in the 'desert' anything is fair game 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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