November 4th, 2002 Tricia versus the spider
There I was in a meeting with a couple VPs and several directors when Tricia called me on my mobile. I took the call and was about to whisper that I couldn’t talk when I notice she was hyperventilating. Turns out she was getting laundry out of the nursery when she came across a rather large version of the little brown spiders we get all the time. And instead of scampering away, apparently it was ready and willing to tangle with her (Tricia has asked that I clarify by stating that the spider reared up and waved its front two legs at her).
In the end, Tricia pulled back from the brink of panic and vanquished her worthy foe. With Raid. From a distance. When I got home, however, I discovered she was ready for most any contingency. Scattered around the room were a broom, a shoe, a flashlight, and several other plowshares serving as swords…
Anyone know what kind it is? Here is my best guess, though this is a better photo.
November 4th, 2002 at 9:22 pm
Looks a lot like a “fiddleback” or brown recluse. But I can’t tell if the marking is in the shape of a fiddle. However, the behavior you described is more aggressive than they normally are. Yet they will react when they are disturbed. Also, hanging out in the dark laundry room in a corner or something is part of their MO. They are also fairly common in TX and OK, and they tend to head indoors as the temps get cooler. I know all of this because Nevin was bit by one last summer. So I did a lot of reading on them.
November 5th, 2002 at 1:40 pm
Just for the record, Tricia, I think your reaction was perfectly sane, your interruption of the VPs was absolutely justified and your vanquishment of the beast was truly heroic.
November 6th, 2002 at 4:16 pm
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! (dang, now i gotta go change my underwear)
November 6th, 2002 at 8:20 pm
This is too much! I just innocently stopped by, that’s all. I will have nightmares tonight…I hope you’re happy!
Valerie…did you somehow give me a subliminal suggestion to visit Jay & Tricia tonight?
November 9th, 2002 at 8:11 am
Who, me? And don’t read Duane’s 3rd-from-the-top entry from Nov. 7, either.