Schattentänzer on 10/5/2006 at 21:00
Nephila isn't a bad guess, as far as genus goes. The shape seems to fit. Never seen a purple one though*. Also, as you said, they're orb-weavers, and a stuffed garage would be a more like habitat for a hunter type.
*Google sez (
http://www.sci.utu.fi/biologia/elainmuseo/kuvat/seych_nephila_net.jpg) Nephila Inaurata
Random_Taffer on 10/5/2006 at 21:06
Good point. Perhaps the spider's body reflected blueish purple light. I know that black bodied wasps reflect the light and appear to be kind of a blueish color. Perhaps this same thing happened...
littlek on 10/5/2006 at 23:03
I am beginning to believe there never was a giant, purple, face huggin' spider in GBM's garage. I find it difficult to believe that GBM would let a cluttered garage get in the way of finding this beast and at least take a picture of it for all of us to see. ;)
Tocky on 11/5/2006 at 00:06
Yes. Holding it by it's legs and spitting venom from it's large pointy fangs please.
Fig455 on 11/5/2006 at 00:27
Quote Posted by PigLick
haha i can see tulsidas waiting there, waiting for more developments.
You gotta know when to walk away son.
this is worth repeating, as it's still frighteningly accurate
tungsten on 11/5/2006 at 02:32
Quote Posted by GBM
There's a goddamned gigantic spider in my garage.
[...]It could facehugger me.
long silence, then:
Quote Posted by GBM
In fact I cultivate spiders in my home. [...]I also have no patience for spiders who can't do basic Spidery Things... If I see one fall off the ceiling (not dropline down, but actually slip and fall) then it goes outside. Also I routinely bust up inappropriate web placement.[...]I have had no luck finding the purple fucker.[...]in the reptilian subcortical structures between HAVE SEX WITH THAT [...]
Quote Posted by OrbWeaver
Well
when you do decide to have sex with one instead
Quote Posted by GBM
Besides. Fuck spiders
Quote Posted by GBM
I would like to take this opportunity to say how much I love the little jumping spiders we get in the gardens here.[...]
I don't hold humans in any higher regard than the rest of the animal kingdom, and I have always thought the "we are qualitatively better than them" attitude to be utterly stupid, false, and missing the point entirely. I celebrate the fact that I am a different sort of animal to the others
And then, Printer's Devil uncovered the truth:
Quote Posted by Printer's Devil
It's pretty clear that the sudden change of heart is a sign that the spider dropped onto his neck, attached itself to his brainstem and is now controlling GBM. Just you watch, his next recipe thread will involve liquefying the innards of some poor animal ("a splendid soup best matched to a sweet Australian Shiraz").
further proof:
Quote Posted by GBM
I [...] ate the bat
I'm sure of that
And then Random_Taffer actually found the spider:
Inline Image:
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/787/giantwoodspidertopviewcloseupw.jpgIt's a Japanese Giant Gingerbreadman spider, also known as giant wood spider.
GBM must've seen purple after the facehugging process, probably the underbelly of these monsters are purple (to compensate for the topside?)
Quote Posted by some webpage about these spiders
The web is about a meter across, and sometimes small birds or bats get caught in it.
Quote Posted by Gingerbread Man
No, this is what happens just before an uppity little spider discovers the reality of the food chain.
Prey is prey, I don't care how much it intends not to relent. There are certain truths in the universe.
That is one of the best warnings I've seen. Moderating on-topic. Although he should realise that most here are neither spiders nor spider driven...
I guess we'll see more of those in the future.
Oh, and Schattentänzer posted a link to images of GBM's garden:
Inline Image:
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/7530/farmerfence1zj.jpgSorry for the long post.
Ko0K on 11/5/2006 at 03:04
That is pretty crazy. I'm not sure if that is a species-specific (ho ho) behavior, but I'll bet anything that military technology folks would take interest in it. I know that not too long ago some people were interested in manufacturing body armor composed of spider silk to take advantage of its high strength/weight ratio.
doaal on 11/5/2006 at 05:58
Quote Posted by website about Giant Wood spiders
In parts of Papua New Guinea tribespeople consider it a tasty snack.
Sounds tasty, almost as good as scorpion-on-a-stick?
Strangeblue on 11/5/2006 at 07:08
We all know that spider is just an undercover RCMP trying to get the goods on Geebs. (Don't kill it, man--they'll never let you go!)
Good lord, you people wonder why I never post when there's shit like This going on?
Briareos H on 12/5/2006 at 11:35
Oh my god I need to be brainwashed again..... i can't help but see the metroid prime endboss in the last spider photo
