Spiders are awesome

[Selby]

I kept thinking wtf will happen if those two spiders start fighting?

I like how the recluse kept climbing on the widow and it was visibly annoyed but didn't fight back.  I also found it amusing how his hand was webbed in places by the 2 of them (most likely the widow judging by how the silk looked).

[Tale]

Spider with green fangs on Easter Island. I don't know its name - this is from a fellow journalist who is currently on Easter Island.

[Kitsune]

Spider with green fangs on Easter Island. I don't know its name - this is from a fellow journalist who is currently on Easter Island.

Ha, cool.  It's a jumping spider of some sort, judging from the eyes.  And thankfully those aren't its fangs, those are chelicerae.  The fangs are folded up behind those mouth plates.  If the fangs were that big, it would be vaguely horrifying.

[Slyfeind]

She looks like she has buck teeth and is going "Huhuhuhu derp de derp huhu."

(I don't know if it's a she; I just assume all spiders I see are girls.)

[Sir T]

Mostly a fair assumption. Male spiders are generally tiny.

[fengzi597]

Spiders are awesome.I hope i can get a costume of spider.I have seen Jesse Tyler Ferguson wearing one in modern family.lol

[apocrypha]

[01101010]

http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/07/10598885-spiders-quick-to-rebuild-in-flood-ravaged-australia

 

[IainC]

There are some more photos of that here.

[Cyrrex]

Um.  Is that what I think it is?  And if so, why does Jesus hate Australia so much?

[RhyssaFireheart]

Um.  Is that what I think it is?  And if so, why does Jesus hate Australia so much?

Well, Satan does need some place to live here on earth.  I figure Australia is right up his alley.

[Lantyssa]

If only we could harness their power for good...

[01101010]

I want to run through that with a leaf rake and then go chase people.

[Kitsune]

The funny thing is, the spiders aren't sticking around on those big blankets of web.  They're using them as launch platforms to fly away.  Anyone who's over there and worried about the stuff on the ground is going to be in for a rude surprise when the wind blows spiders all over them.

[RhyssaFireheart]

The funny thing is, the spiders aren't sticking around on those big blankets of web.  They're using them as launch platforms to fly away.  Anyone who's over there and worried about the stuff on the ground is going to be in for a rude surprise when the wind blows spiders all over them.

 

[tgr]

Which makes me think of the perfect storm that would be that, combined with brooding wolf spiders with 100+ kids on her back, flying around in the wind, landing on people and releasing their brood.

[Draegan]

Well fuck.

[01101010]

Spider cluster bombs! 

Looking more at those pics... if there was a use and way to continuously output that amount of spider silk, I would love to see fields and fields of white stuff other than snow. 

[Kitsune]

I learned the other day that apparently some tarantulas make hissy noises when they move from their furry body plates rubbing against each other.  So on the upside, at least you'll hear them coming for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNHK565cVe8&feature=related

[01101010]

I learned the other day that apparently some tarantulas make hissy noises when they move from their furry body plates rubbing against each other.  So on the upside, at least you'll hear them coming for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNHK565cVe8&feature=related

Tarantula people are just strange. Snakes, sure... I can go that far, but pet insects, even like that one that you could put a leash on... nah. That's just weird.

[Kitsune]

Tarantulas are pretty cool.  Not enough that I'd put down the money and time to buy and care for one, but they look awesome and the more sedate ones don't give a fuck if you pick them up and just walk on your arm.  That's sweet.

[pxib]

The trouble with tarantulas as pets is that there's a good chance they're male, in which case they won't live very long.

[Der Helm]

There are some more photos of that here.

What this reminds me off is that those spiders where in the area before the flood, you just did not see them.

[Slyfeind]

I learned the other day that apparently some tarantulas make hissy noises when they move from their furry body plates rubbing against each other.  So on the upside, at least you'll hear them coming for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNHK565cVe8&feature=related

Okay I think that belongs in the Cute Pictures thread.

[Der Helm]

I learned the other day that apparently some tarantulas make hissy noises when they move from their furry body plates rubbing against each other.  So on the upside, at least you'll hear them coming for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNHK565cVe8&feature=related

Okay I think that belongs in the Cute Pictures thread.

I think you belong in a mental institution.

[RhyssaFireheart]

[Paelos]

It's Spider Zumba! 

[Draegan]

Yeah, you know, just a giant spider eating a snake.
http://www.geekologie.com/2012/04/oh-you-know-just-a-giant-spider-eating-a.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wd_U6obb9Ps

[01101010]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Tarantulas-invade-Assam-town-kill-two/articleshow/13753398.cms

Yeah... kind of NOT awesome.. 

[Hawkbit]

1.  I like to imagine that the spider on the keyboard authored the article.  It really brings it all together.

2.  WTF on the content.  "swarms of spiders suddenly descended from nowhere and started biting the people" is most likely my worst nightmare. 

[Tale]

Spiders self-castrate in fight for females 

This had led to some scientists to speculate that spiders castrate themselves to create a "mating plug" that continuously transfers sperm to the female after the male is gone - and at the same time stops competing males from inserting their sperm.

But animal behaviour expert Daiqin Li from the National University of Singapore says other males can easily remove the mating plug, which called for other explanations for the emasculating behaviour.

One hypothesis is that castrated males are better fighters because they are not weighed down by their manhood and thus have more energy to fight off competing males.

[rk47]

*cuts off cock, gains +1 Agility*

[Cyrrex]

*cuts off cock, gains +1 Agility*

...and a -4 to INT.

[apocrypha]

I dunno, most blokes I know who think with their cocks aren't all that smart...

Maybe a +2 Wisdom would be more likely? 

[01101010]

So ok... trying to follow the logic on this. Male spiders compete for female spider in order to pass on his genetics. However, the males with the best chances of competing with other males for that chance with the female spider is to lop off the sac containing the genetic material he is trying to pass on.