Wednesday, July 16, 2008

A review of spiders

I've accepted that my palm hut is an extension of the Panamanian campo, but I haven't accepted all of the insects and spiders that want to share it with me.

It must be a sign of changing seasons, the rainy winter is now in full swing and terribly huge (5-inch diameter-sized) spiders have suddenly appeared. I've discovered several varieties in my penca ceiling. I've tried to kill most of them, but sometimes I've run out of insecticide and sometimes they simply get away. I'll admit that I still harbor a terrible fear of them, but I'm becoming more fascinated with them as time goes on - I hope that means that I'm getting over my phobia little by little, but in the meantime, I've been in search-and-destroy mode for since June.
This one isn't pure black, so maybe isn't as poisonous as the black tarantulas I was warned about in Training. No need to take chances!

What is that up there? Snow white from insecticide, I was too chicken to kill it with a machete - it's a very large, long-legged spider. Seems to me it was a granddaddy of spiders, it had lost 2 of its rear legs already (maybe already encountered a PCV? maybe already encountered my cat?). Sorry spider, I just can't share my space with you, I don't want to know what would happen to me if you decide to bite.The original color was tan with slightly darker brown joints. A PCV once said that these remind him of spider crabs - I agree; it's not bulky like a classic tarantula from the movies but it's big with articulate limbs... dangerous? Not sure, but later that same week I found 4 more. Do these live in pairs?

1 comment:

erika said...

ho-o! I remember your phobia for spiders...and the wolf spider on Mauna Loa weren't so huge!
You can hold out! ;)