Ah, yes, folks....we have a trilogy here at Hilltop Academy!  Our third generation of banana spider (we think!) has landed, and of course, I have no choice but to chronicle its existence here, even though I've said many times that I will never blog about spiders again.  I don't know why you people ever listen to me.

Look at this....

Behold, our third banana spider to annually build a web on our front porch!  This one is much smaller than the other two have been, thus we think it might be male.  The other two we know were female because after they kicked the bucket, they left us the gift of their egg sacs.  This one also has some different behaviors than the other two.  For one, it has shed its skin twice.  That's what the creepy skeletal thing is below.  Believe it or not, I actually got a picture of it doing this the other day...

Is that not the freakiest?!  Annaleigh was sure it was dead, but after he dangled there for a while, he crawled back up onto his web, located conveniently right outside our living room window, a bigger and better spider.  Since we suspect he's of the male persuasion, the kids have been calling him He-lob.  Our first banana spider we dubbed Shelob (from the Lord of the Rings) due to her gargantuan size.  And speaking of our first arachnid, here she is....

If you like creepy bedtime stories, you can read about her stay with us here and here.

Then the next year, her possible daughter, moved in.  We just called her Spidey...

Her tale is not nearly so interesting, but if you like, you can read about her here.

And then now we have the son/grandson...maybe.  I guess I better get out our nature handbooks and do a google image search, and find out what he is since that's what good home schoolers do.

Have any memories for us this week?  I know I forgot to give you advance notice that I would be "flashing" this week, but if you have something, please share!  Leave us a link, so we can all come read it....

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Posted by OhPumpkinshellz

The pictures are amazing! I think I shall always look forward to your spider posts - so when you start writing for a magazine, I do expect annual spider updates. :)

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Posted by 4sweetums

Well, that was plenty of spider memories for me. I think you all should start a family tree for your spiders. LOL! The spiders are a great nature study though.
Blessings,
Dawn

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Posted by MOMflippedisWOW

la di da didi la di da.... (forgot the rest of the words)

Great pictures! I can't say I care for banana spiders as they bring up memories of pushing a branch out of the way while horseback riding and getting one on me. Yuck!

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Posted by MOMflippedisWOW

Just a few pictures from days gone by of our spider science. ;-)

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Posted by Susan

I've really not suffered from sickness to bad in the mornings... nighttime is what gets me...

Until now...

Eeww... gag!!! I can hardly believe you are allowing this spider to live outside your window, much less photograph it. Maybe I could understand one year; maybe. But 3??!! You are a better woman than I. I would not be exiting my front door until I was sure Spidey and friends were removed.

Forget us visiting next week! (laugh)

I have the funniest story to tell you... we need to talk sometime!!

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Posted by MOMflippedisWOW

Yes, it's a Wolf Spider. My spouse is always bringing something in. He loves to play with jumping spiders. I prefer if he doesn't do that near me!

Biology just isn't a subject my kids could miss with him for a dad. ;-)

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Posted by proverbsmomof3

we've been hosting a zipper spider in our front bushes next to the garage for a while. I try to get pictures but with my 'point and shoot' I just can't get a good shot. I really love the one of it shedding.
Cool flashback.

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Posted by Anonymous

Hey Kellie ... we copied you. Renee' wrote up a FBF that was sort of a substitute for our Friday Photos deal. Thanks for the idea! Your family can be found in one of the pictures, if you look very carefully ... it's an old group shot of the church.

The Spider pics are cool, by the way!

Bernie

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Posted by Patiecake

Just came accross your blog randomly. I am glad the spider did not come to my house. Take care.

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Posted by sadie423

We had one of those take up house a couple years back in our living room window. I loved it. We watched it for months. They loved to watch it re-spin it's web after the rain. Egg sack laying and spinning too. It was a great nature study! I have pictures of it too.

I think I forgot to answer the zoo question. It is the Knox Zoo. I really like it. They've done a great job in the past few years changing and adding. That being said....not sure if I would make a special trip....maybe next time you are up near here plan for it.

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Posted by CarpeBanana

not sure that's spelled right

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Posted by Debbles107

Well, I can tell you that your spider is definitely female. Male banana spiders are much smaller, about a 1/4 - 1/2 inch round and all black. We had several males courting our female that was living outside our house. I looked them up wondering what they were and found out they were male banana spiders. Go figure! So you'll have to come up with a new name for her, maybe Spider-girl?

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Posted by twistedsisterinChrist

I'd get the boys down here to show them the pictures if it wouldn't cause nightmares. Maybe in the morning will be better. Those are fantastic shots. Thanks for sharing them.
Twisted

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