We’ve done it again! For the second year in a row, we managed to accidentally allow the bushes in our big wooden porch planters to die. Oh the shame.
Chalk it up to a miscommunication. Sherry thought I was watering them. I thought she was. Clara didn’t have a clue who was watering what (or what watering even is) and all the while Burger was “watering” plants in the back. By the time we realized our folly it was too late (although Sherry desperately dumped five cups of water a day on them for the last few weeks to no avail). So I’d say we’re equally to blame for our plants getting a bit on the crispy side. And we’re sad. But we had to fess up and keep it real, so there you have it. Picture us looking shamefaced at the ground and vowing to do better next time.
Since fall is upon us, we took a page from our own book and, like last year, picked up two yellow mums at Home Depot (for $18 total) to take their place. But there was a new element to deal with this year. In case you missed it in the first photo, let’s take a closer look (warning: there’s about to be a close up photo of a spider)…
…and, if you can stomach it, let’s go even closer (here it comes)…
There it was. Feel free to blame any nightmares you have tonight on us. Is that not the most scary, hermit-crab-looking spider you’ve ever seen? And are those long pointy legs not the most villainous limbs you’ve seen in a while? He’s practically making the skull and cross bone shape you see on poisonous bottles like arsenic. And because we weren’t about to hold up a dollar bill for scale, you can’t tell just how big he is. But if you scroll back to the picture above this one you’ll see that he’s about half as big as the light bulb. Which is giant. And terrifying.
We discovered our new “friend” at the start of this mum project. Who knows how long he had been hanging out there (since we rarely use the front door). But one thing was for sure: he wanted to eat our faces off (according to my always trustworthy internet research, human face is a delicacy amongst the giant spider species). Okay, maybe not. But he still was not something I wanted to be around.
So as fast as I could, I yanked the dead bushes out of their planters…
…and plopped the new mums (containers and all) in their place, right on top of the leftover dirt.
Not bad for a speedy planting job, if I do say so myself.
And since these babies are hardy, we’ll plant them (not in their pots) somewhere else in our yard after the fall season. You know, so we won’t have to wait three more seasons for them to look good again on the porch.
Best part about it? The spider didn’t dive bomb my pretty little head in the process. Good spider, good spider…
Having come out of this unscathed, I was eager to snap my “after” photo and call it day (of course we still need a new doormat and have larger porch plans – like framing out the columns, painting the wood siding, and staining the concrete floor).
But stepping away now would let the bad guys spiders win. I know they’re “good pests” but they’re not so welcome at face height right outside the front door. So I used my trusty broom and gave its web a quick swing, in hopes of not-too-harshly evicting my eight-legged visitor…
In a surprise turn of spider-related events, he jumped into one of our new mums. Oh the irony.
He seemed ok with it (meaning he didn’t eat my face).
Oh, and FYI – the spider has now changed addresses and lives in the mum on the left. Thought you should be warned in case you’re planning to come sell us some Girl Scout cookies or something.
Pssst- The lady-wife did a fun little phone interview that just went live here (click the play button next to the little audio sign over on the site to listen in). Oh yeah, and click here to see this week’s lucky Ikea gift card winners.
Angela Wilson says
When we were doing the final walk through on our house we came across one of these guys in our back yard. Ignorantly, we killed it (with our “sold” sign and a telephone book, from a distance), and then realized how harmless they were. We kind of felt bad, but it was ugly and intimidating.
Brita says
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argiope_aurantia
It’s a black and yellow garden spider!
I’m not a spider expert I just live in the woods and see ones this size and bigger regularly. I had a 2 inch wolf spider in my bedroom once. And abrown recluse (do not look up brown recluse bites if you’re faint of heart).
Love your blog and love the mums! They’re so bright and cheery!
YoungHouseLove says
Yikes- so scary!
xo,
s
Becky says
I think that is a “garden” spider…my mom has a few in her plants. Not that you would want to try it, but if you lightly tap the edge of their web, they start rocking back and forth. It’s pretty neat and I’m guessing they do that to get food further into their web. I hate spiders and those ones are really big, so I keep my distance when observing them. I saw one eating a stinkbug, so at least that’s better than faces! P.S. I love the yellow mums with the yellow door!
YoungHouseLove says
That happened when I opened the door! It was crazy! Just swinging back and forth like a beating heart (as I heard mine thumping in my ears- scared the crap outta me!).
xo,
s
Jodi says
Interesting about the garden spider:
“After mating, the male dies, and is sometimes then eaten by the female”
YoungHouseLove says
Yowser!
xo,
s
Brenda says
The spider is scary but pretty cool looking at the same! He was just enamored with you making the front door an ode to him, with the colors and all. =)
seriouslysassymama says
Sorry, that would have been a dead spider due to straight fear! I hate spiders. Love the mums. I have yellow ones outside my house and they make me happy everytime I see them!
Rachel Tatem says
I can’t ever manage to keep mums alive. They are my bane! They look lovely with your yellow door though.
Nicole says
It looks like a black and yellow garden spider. They’re harmless to humans and eat only flying prey (wasps, grasshoppers, etc.) Nonetheless, they’re scary as hell! But hey, at least it’s color coordinated with the new porch color ;)
Dawn says
We had one for weeks outside the front door at our old house. We very rarely used that door (thankfully), but it still gave me the creeps. My husband googled the spider just to make sure it wasn’t poisonous, and then let it be. Right before we moved, it went away…I’m still checking the garage to make sure it wasn’t a stowaway to our new house. ;)
Ellen says
Looks like one of these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argiope_aurantia
Lauren says
I have spiders all over the house too. Small ones can stay, but large venemous looking ones must go. I got a can of spider spray at Lowe’s for $5 and cleared out our front porch. So close to the door, I’m afraid the next step is in! BTW LOVE the mums!
Gaidig says
The venomous ones are actually smaller than the one John & Sherry found.
YoungHouseLove says
So interesting!
xo,
s
Cathy says
Here you go! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argiope_aurantia We had one on the outside of our screened porch a few weeks ago. It was there ONE DAY and the next morning we found a HUGE egg sack in it’s place. It took some acrobatics on our part, but we did away with that egg sack. I don’t care that they are harmless, I sure didn’t want a zillion of those little fellows around. Oh, and at least it matches your color scheme!
Nicole says
Yuck, yuck, and yuck! I am deathly afraid of spiders! So, thanks for the nightmares. J/k!
I saw one of those critters for the first time when we were visiting our in-laws in NC. My MIL told me it was a garden spider and it was about the size of a half dollar, if not larger. I was thoroughly grossed out! But, to my demise, my hubby was looking at the even bigger one not far from the one I saw, and it was at least 3 times larger!
Even though they’re good pests, I’m not sure I would be comfortable with monster spiders living near my house.
Penny says
I’m not fond of spiders, but roaches are even worse. Please please please do not ever show us pictures of any face/bird-eating roaches!! Because you will hear me screaming from all the way over here in GA.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, I can’t handle that either.
xo,
s
Lindsay says
Speaking of roach like creatures… and I shudder at the memory of it… in our bathroom at work today, there is an upside down Palmetto Bug (basically, roaches with wings) in one of the sinks… just wishing he could be flipped over, but instead lying there and being dripped on every so often from the drippy sink. EW EW EW. *shudders again*
Melissa Hoffman says
I posted the same thing on my blog when I found that same spider in my back yard! I was also relieved to find out from google that it did not want to eat me.
http://surprisinglysouthern.blogspot.com/2010/08/alabama-bugs-do-not-mess-around.html
YoungHouseLove says
That’s an awesome picture!
xo,
s
Ashley J says
You guys remember the scene in Home Alone when one of the burglars are trying to walk up the basement steps and he steps on the nail, and he falls off the stairs, screaming like a little girl? Yeah. Picture that, because that is what I just did.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw man, we got you good. Haha. I love that movie.
xo,
s
Meg@Keeping up with the Jenks says
I just found out that I killed our big (expensive) topiaries on our front porch. I blame moving away and not being able to water them, but still, I cried a little.
Love the mums with the door!
Rachel says
Aack, garden spider! As a kid those used to TERRIFY me this time of year in my mom’s vegetable garden. I’d always manage to run into one at face height. They still scare me, even though I know they’re totally harmless. The mums look great though!
Carolyn says
Its yellow coloring matches your door and mums. That makes it sooo much more revolting.
Kelly @ Corner of Main says
I love the yellow with your front door =) I just wrote about adding some pretty orange-gold mums to our front porch; they look so lovely for fall!
~Kelly @ Corner of Main
PS- our house is FULL of stange spiders!
Jennifer says
Umm…I kill my fall mums every year. When you said that they are hardy, I laughed. But they are. I am that bad. Haha.
Carrie says
I actually thought the dead bushes were perfect decor for Halloween! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- you’re right!
xo,
s
Kristen says
So weird– we have a similar white/yellow toned large spider right next to our front door. This one occupies the space too close to the mailbox for me to get my mail without fear of it attacking me. The other night I tried spraying it with some water to get it to go away. While I was successful in my attempt to do that and get my mail, the spider has returned! It might be a few days before I get the courage to try again– and get the maiL!
Betsy B says
We’ve been seeing some CRAZY big spiders around in our yard, too!! I’m scared to go outside and plant our pretty new pansies, lol!
Brandi @ His Shabby Her Chic says
That colors of the spider tie in nicely with the decor on your front porch!
I am officially creeped though and feel like I have something crawling on me.
Larissa says
Yep. They’re crawling on me too. And things are creeping around in my peripheral vision. Eeek!
Briel K. says
Garden spider or no, that thing gives me the shivers! Eek! Your new mums look great though. :)
Carolyn Back says
you might want to raise those mums up just a touch…it will help balance out the scale of those planters a bit. Also…your ‘dead’ shrubs may not be goners. In the spirit of frugality….grab a pair of clippers or scissors, and make some cuts along the plant. If you are cutting into crispy browness, its a goner. If you are cutting into something green, it can be saved. Prune them back, plant them in the ground, and you should see new growth come spring.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips!
xo,
s
carrie says
as lots of people have said, it’s an argiope! and the charlotte’s-web-lover in my is super glad that you didn’t kill the spider because that’s the kind of spider she was!
they don’t bite people (usually) and will kill lots of buggies!
the new mums look great, btw!
and maybe you should try one of those bulb watering methods so you can go longer between remembering to water the front!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a great idea!
xo,
s
melody says
I love how even the spider has yellow on it. How charming!
Allison says
That’s a writing spider (at least what we called them). We have lots of them. One lived on our deck a few summers ago. She kept getting bigger (including legs, probably would fill up my palm), then she made two eggs sacs. Apparently, she was pregnant with eggs or something! We named her Tyra because she was fierce. We had fun throwing live bugs into the web and watching her attack them.
They are quite startling if you don’t know they are there, but I really don’t mind them (and I am NOT a spider person). Orb weavers rarely crawl on the ground and into my house. As far as spiders go, writing spider are quite beautiful.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- Tyra. I love it.
xo,
s
Brandy says
Because I’m way too lazy to read all 101, (as of my post), comments…has anyone mentioned the fact that the spider thoughtfully matches your door AND mums?
PS, it might be time for Clara to receive her first watering can…someone should be in charge! ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- isn’t that funny? We didn’t even notice that until folks started pointing it out.
xo,
s
AshleyB says
He’s an orb weaver – but not dangerous, so no worries! They tend to stick around (we had one on our porch for over a month), so you may want to watch out as you are going in and out for a while.
Jane says
I am probably will be the most evil plant killer. Even cactus can die if they come to me. Hope Dexter doesn’t come looking for me.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- oh no! Dexter might be after us too in that case…
xo,
s
Hannah says
A lot of people are calling this a garden spider, but I grew up calling them Writing Spiders. They make a really impressive zig-zag (that looks like really bad handwriting) on their web, and, despite the fact that it’s a spider, the zig-zag “writing” is really neat looking. And hey, she’s just another free Halloween decoration!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, you know we love a deal!
xo,
s
cappy says
How is it that you can even have your outdoor wildlife coordinate with you door and “sue the napkin”?? I am really impressed! BTW-I feel major creepy crawlers on my skin from that guy!!! I have never seen anything like that (Thank Goodness!)
Stefanie says
Anything bigger than a gnat sends me running away (literally RUNNING) and screaming like lunatic. That thing would have sent me to sleep in a hotel for the night (in tears, mind you). Yikes.
Gaidig says
Looks a lot like a “writing” spider. They’re good, not dangerous. Personally, I like the fact that they and their webs are more visible so you don’t accidentally walk into them.
Donna says
Holy Mother of God, Sherry! You’re warning earlier wasn’t sufficient. Pretty funny he matched your door, though. But please, no more spiders, I can’t take it!
toni from says
Spiders are really on my hit list these days… A few weeks ago I found a brown recluse on the back deck. I do not generally use bug spray, but after that near miss (almost stepped on him in bare feet) I went to the nearest Home Depot and bought a very large container of industrial-strength bug spray. I sprayed everywhere (wearing an aspirator.) I just made the kids stay inside the rest of the night, so the fumes could die down. I went back and forth about whether to spray or not, but since my kids constantly play out there, I decided the pesticide was better than getting bitten by a poisonous 8-legged monster!!! Talk about a North Carolina welcome. FYI-I do not go out on the deck anymore without flip-flops on. Scary Spiders. And yes. I do consider your picture scary. Big Time. Really Big Time. Really. Really. Scary.
Jessica says
That spider is terrifying! And oddly appropriate for Halloween. :)
abby says
I SAW ONE OF THESE THIS MORNING ON A WALK!
what a coiencidence
YoungHouseLove says
That’s too funny! Or scary. Haha.
xo,
s
Jen says
It looks like lots of people have identified the spider, so I won’t link to that stuff, but — I found one of those at the library where I worked (on the OUTSIDE of the window, thankfully!) and all of the gardeners I worked with were going on and on about how beneficial that kind of spider is. All I could think was, “Holy God, that thing is easily twice as big as any spider I thought lived in Michigan!”
YoungHouseLove says
I know right? The size didn’t really come though in this post but it’s huge!!
xo,
s
Mandy says
I see others beat me too, but it is in fact a female garden spider, completely harmless. We had one that lived right next door to our slider, which we use every day, and finally hubs had to move her because she almost got into the house one day!
Tiffany says
Aaahhh!! I feel like I have spiders crawling all over me now! Thanks guys!!! I would not let him live…..it’s terrible, but I am a vicious insect eradicator (well my husband is at my direction!)
Molly cash says
I enjoyed this post because it took you guys off the pedestal for a little bit! I can’t keep anything alive-with the exception of my kid-and it is so nice to see that I’m not the only with a case of plantneglectitis. And after reading the comments I can see that it is a fairly common condition across the nation! As for the spider-ewwww. I don’t even think I could’ve squashed it because it was so big it would’ve made a loud crunch noise and that sends chills up my spine just thinking about it. And as for 1000 offspring just like it-double ewwww.
Claire says
This post made me smirk like a super villan, since it would have been inappropriate to laugh out loud in the workplace.
Keep up the good work and protect your faces from spider attacks!
Joanne F says
Usually I kill plants in pots, but my Ginger lily is doing great with my benign neglect.
Your writing spider will be gone when it gets cold. Here in VA it may not happen this year! Then again it beats the snowmageddon of last year!
Lindsay says
I love this post! So funny. Potential face-eating spiders are the worst! Love how the yellow mums go so well with the front door!
Raeanne says
Glad I’m not the only one with a aversion to spiders… they are interesting enough in pictures, but I really can’t stand them in person! I always end up doing the “get-that-spider-away-from-me-it’s-gonna-jump-on-me-because-it-can-sense-my-fear” dance. It’s quite an embarrassing little dance routine…
Maggie says
Previous commenters are correct, it’s a garden spider. The kind that spins the proverbial circular web. Eats other bugs. So benign. You do need to water your potted plants/bushes more than those planted in the yard. They can only get water from the area of their pot. You could put evergreen boughs or such in your pots in the winter, just for decor, or some hardy greenery like decorative kale plants or something that would last over the winter. Plant those mums soon in the garden!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a fun idea with the evergreen boughs!
xo,
s