Its a huntsman spider aka as a wood spider. You spiked my curiosity. I looked it up: Size, venom, and aggression[edit] On average, a huntsman spider's leg-span can reach up to 15 cm (5 in), while their bodies measure about 1.8 cm (0.7 in) long.[7] Like most spiders,[8] Sparassidae use venom to immobilize prey. They have been known to inflict serious defensive bites on humans.[9] There have been reports of members of various genera such as Palystes,[10] Neosparassus and several others, inflicting severe bites. The effects vary, including local swelling and pain, nausea, headache, vomiting, irregular pulse rate, and heart palpitations, indicating some systemic neurological toxin effects, especially when the bites were severe or repeated. However, the formal study of spider bites is fraught with complications, including unpredictable infections, dry bites, shock, nocebo effects, and even bite misdiagnosis by medical professionals and specimen misidentification by the general public. It is not always clear what provokes Sparassidae to attack and bite humans and animals, but it is known that female members of this family will aggressively defend their egg-sacs and young against perceived threats.[4] Bites from sparassids usually do not require hospital treatment. Maybe i shouldnt pick them up anymore!
Around here there done by mid September. The workers and males die off and the queen goes underground for the winter. I've been watching this nest develop most of the summer. Going to hang it in the bike/saw shed.
That nest was never aggressive. I mowed around the tree they were in all summer, probably less then two feet away at eye level and never even got investigated let alone stung. They must have missed the memo that bald face hornets are supposed to be aggressive.
I had one pile of wood that I must have run into at least a half dozen of those big spiders this fall. No problems with them here either.
I have seen a lot of snake skins in my stacks, all smaller size, hopefully nothing to worry about. Since I scored some old barn tin to cover my stacks, the red squirrels love it. They also love the fleece on the backside of the tablecloth that covers the table on my deck, and really love when I leave a paper towel roll on the Blackstone griddle. I noticed the roll was empty after putting a new one on back in June. I thought the wind unraveled it and blew away. Then it happened again after I put a clip on it. Then the third time I saw paper shreds on the deck, and followed the trail to one of my stacks about 40 feet away. Darn critters had pret near 2 rolls worth invested into squirrel condo units in my stacks, along with half a tablecloth of fleece. The flying squirrels (I think) used to get into my house and attic. Don't store birdseed, deer corn or peanuts in the garage, by the way. I unfortunately had to resort to crushing rat poison blocks with peanut butter to eradicate them. Also stuffing any hole that they could use with hardware cloth keeps them out.
I found these huge, nasty looking wasp things while splitting some rounds today. The bigger ones are close to 2 inches long. They were inside a round. I've never seen a wasp nearly this big. They were pretty sluggish but still intimidating. They are still in my garage. I'm not sure what to do with them. I'm all about catch and release, but they don't seem nice. Anyone have any ideas what they are? Ever seen them? I know the pic isn't great, but I bottled them up when they started moving around.
The larva from some big wood boring critters have pupated into the flying nymph??? Ive found similar ones in splits...usually punkier ones.
I dont they are any type of hornet/wasp. Stick your hand in there for a while and agitate them. If they sting you then youll know!
They fell out of a foxhole in a kinda punky piece of Honey Locust that has been collecting dust here for about 5 years. I'm trying to tidy things up. So I've been splitting some of my odds and ends.
Maybe these? Don’t worry, Colorado. Those giant flying bugs aren’t murder hornets, they’re cicada killers
Or, if you can spare it, stick a thumb in there and stir them up!!!!! Sorry brother, I just couldn't refuse it. I mean, you just put it out there tempting me.....
Could be European giant hornets. We have them here in PA along with the cicada killers. Those look to skinny to be cicada killers I've also never seen them in large groups.
Ha, I doubt that. You're always busy! I've said it before and I'll say it again..... You're a manimal!!!
