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The Spider that scared Brandon
Sep. 18th, 2008 07:31 amTuesday night I was at work on overtime writing my last email of the day when my cell phone rang.
"Linda?" Brandon said.
"Hi Brandon, what's up?" I replied.
"There's a big spider on the wall." He said, fear in his voice.
"How big is it?"
"About 2 inches."
"Oh, it's probably a tarantula. It's tarantula mating season and it's probably looking for love. Don't worry, they're not aggressive."
"I don't think it's a tarantula."
"Is it hairy at all?"
"No and it's the wrong color. I think it's a brown recluse."
"Oh, we don't have brown recluses in our area and besides, they aren't that big. What color is it?"
"It's kind of light brown."
"Does it have any markings?"
"I don't know. I don't want to get that close to it."
"OK, it's got to be a Mediterranean spider. They're an invasive species. They're not aggressive or poisonous. There's a spider cup in the bathroom."
(silence)
"Do you need me to come home?"
"Yes please. My inclination is to squash it."
"Well, if you need to squash it then go ahead but it might jump and get away if you try. Keep an eye on it and I'll come right home. I'll hurry."
"OK."
Quickly finishing the email, I hopped in the car and drove straight home, not stopping at the grocery store as I'd planned. That took me about 20 minutes. The spider was still on the wall near Eric's chair. It was a beautiful spider and quite large. Though it has longer legs than the Mediterranean Spinnerae that was in our house a couple of years ago, it has the same markings. It had moved a little since he called me. Brandon was huddled on the couch across the room, as far from the spider as he could get. He said when it moved he'd wanted to throw something at it.
I knew Eric would want to see it so I snapped a couple of pictures before I caught and released it on the far edge of our yard away from the door. Yeah, I should have killed it because it's an invasive species but I just can't bring myself to kill anything that isn't attacking me. It just let me place the cup over it. They aren't very bright spiders.
I hope Brandon doesn't end up with someone who expects him to take care of spiders for her! He explained that when he was three-years-old, a Daddy Long Legs had run across his face and terrified him. Yeah, my original phobia began at the same age when I woke up with a spider bite on my leg. I hope my courage can inspire him to work on his phobia.
( Cut for those who don't want to see spiders. Please excuse the cobwebs. They're not all that visible without a flash! )
"Linda?" Brandon said.
"Hi Brandon, what's up?" I replied.
"There's a big spider on the wall." He said, fear in his voice.
"How big is it?"
"About 2 inches."
"Oh, it's probably a tarantula. It's tarantula mating season and it's probably looking for love. Don't worry, they're not aggressive."
"I don't think it's a tarantula."
"Is it hairy at all?"
"No and it's the wrong color. I think it's a brown recluse."
"Oh, we don't have brown recluses in our area and besides, they aren't that big. What color is it?"
"It's kind of light brown."
"Does it have any markings?"
"I don't know. I don't want to get that close to it."
"OK, it's got to be a Mediterranean spider. They're an invasive species. They're not aggressive or poisonous. There's a spider cup in the bathroom."
(silence)
"Do you need me to come home?"
"Yes please. My inclination is to squash it."
"Well, if you need to squash it then go ahead but it might jump and get away if you try. Keep an eye on it and I'll come right home. I'll hurry."
"OK."
Quickly finishing the email, I hopped in the car and drove straight home, not stopping at the grocery store as I'd planned. That took me about 20 minutes. The spider was still on the wall near Eric's chair. It was a beautiful spider and quite large. Though it has longer legs than the Mediterranean Spinnerae that was in our house a couple of years ago, it has the same markings. It had moved a little since he called me. Brandon was huddled on the couch across the room, as far from the spider as he could get. He said when it moved he'd wanted to throw something at it.
I knew Eric would want to see it so I snapped a couple of pictures before I caught and released it on the far edge of our yard away from the door. Yeah, I should have killed it because it's an invasive species but I just can't bring myself to kill anything that isn't attacking me. It just let me place the cup over it. They aren't very bright spiders.
I hope Brandon doesn't end up with someone who expects him to take care of spiders for her! He explained that when he was three-years-old, a Daddy Long Legs had run across his face and terrified him. Yeah, my original phobia began at the same age when I woke up with a spider bite on my leg. I hope my courage can inspire him to work on his phobia.
( Cut for those who don't want to see spiders. Please excuse the cobwebs. They're not all that visible without a flash! )
