Monday, October 18, 2010

Demon Spider

Anyone know what kind of spider this is? I found it right outside our front door this morning.

Happy Face Spider 001 It's about half an inch in size. It's black or very dark brown with a white "smiley face" (more like a demon face!). I've looked online and can't find a match. The closest is some sort of jumping spider, which really makes me... regret standing so close to get the photo.

Did I mention I'm afraid of spiders? When I was a kid, I wouldn’t sleep in my room if I saw a spider on the wall. I now can kill,..um.., get rid of them if they’re in the house. It’s just something about their legs. I’m not afraid of mice or snakes, but spiders give me the heebie-jeebies.*

My Aunt Charlene was terrified of snakes. When I was young, I thought it was crazy that she couldn’t even look at a picture of one. Now I understand. I can’t identify the spider because I can’t look at spider photos online long enough to make a match!

* Heeby jeeby was first used in the 1920’s by a cartoonist named Billy de Beck. Other popular phrases from that time were “hocus pocus”, “mumbo jumbo” and “the bees knees.” No, I’m not that old.

Posted by at

9 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 12, 2011 at 12:57 PM

    Found the exact same spider here in Colorado today!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMarch 16, 2012 at 12:42 PM

    Found one here in Toronto Canada today. Eeeeekk!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 20, 2012 at 11:47 PM

    Found one in Lewiston, Maine today.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousApril 7, 2012 at 1:24 PM

    Found one in Houston today. It's a Daring Jumping Spider, a.k.a., phidippus audax. They'll bite humans if pestered, but aren't dangerous.

    ReplyDelete
  5. frankiedoodledooMay 9, 2012 at 3:44 PM

    Found one in Sheffield, UK...it must have jumped pretty far...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wires n PliersJune 17, 2012 at 5:52 PM

    Found one right outside my front door and I took a picture of it! Mine is black and has the white happy face. I have posted it on my blogger page: wiresNpliers

    ReplyDelete
  7. -lisaJuly 18, 2012 at 11:16 AM

    found one on top of my compost bin yesterday. He tolerated a 10 minute photo session (with flash) but I didn't put my fingers anywhere near him (or her!)

    ReplyDelete
  8. -lisaJuly 18, 2012 at 11:17 AM

    oh - in Cambridge, MA, USA

    ReplyDelete
  9. Claybritt and The MisFitsSeptember 26, 2012 at 8:51 PM

    Hi, it's me wiresNpliers (commenter June 17th 2012). I moved my Happy Faced Spider post to my photography blog, where it's more at home. claybrittimages@blogspot.com.

    And my Happy faced Spider returned in August (or sent her relative to visit. I also won't get too close.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)