Found Under Rock

[waltsp]

Turned over a rock and look what was there

 

[Tractorbeam]

Cute! Looks like it might enjoy a nice brushing.

 

[milkman]

From the title, I was thinking Newt, but he's already crawled out from under his rock.:laughing:

 

[oldnslo]

Must have been a big rock!!!!

Being a northern boy I presume this is a tarantula.

 

[waltsp]

The son and I wer clearing a driveway on a new lot. Pre-Tractor days, doing a lot by hand.
The rock was not solid down but a little loose. Just pried the edge and grabbed the rock (about 12" square 6" thick). As I picked it up, SURPRISE! I was wearing gloves most of the time before this, now always!

 

[weldingisfun]

They are harmless. But, I would have been happy, as well, if it had been me lifting that rock with gloves on .

 

[jayste]

Hey! Put the rock back! I live under this one myself! Kind of how I like it these days! :thumbsup:

 

[DIRTROAD]

I didn't think those things lived north of the equator. They must be on the move like fire ants and armadillos.

 

[mostly_gas]

They have been on the MO and AR border for years. Certain times of the year they would be seen crossing roads:2cents:

 

[waltsp]

This tarantula is actually a Texas NATIVE!

 

[jinman]

I didn't think those things lived north of the equator. They must be on the move like fire ants and armadillos.

The playgrounds around the schools I went to in elementary and junior high school in Denton, TX, were full of them (back in the Dark Ages ). I think we caught hundreds of them crawling up out of holes, but we didn't seem to dent the population. It's very common to see them here as well as scorpions when you lift a rock. My wife calls her technique "kick, then pick" because of the method she uses to pick up a rock.