Florida has bugs. Lots of them.
So, people. Be glad I’m not dead. I headed out the door this morning for a run, and my eye caught some spiderwebs glistening in the sunlight. I made a note to try to take some photos when I got back.
I risked my life taking these pictures. I had to put the camera lens up against the webs. The webs billowed when the wind blew and the silky strands stuck to the camera. I was terrified the web would wrap around me, then the spider would finish cocooning me and finish me off for dinner.
I’m not sure what kind of spider it is. As you can see, it’s pretty ugly, but it didn’t seem to mind posing for the photos. It spun some beautiful webs, too. Maybe if I sit underneath them, the spider will spin lovely adjectives about me.
Heebie-jeebies. I still have them.
A Little Thinking 
Wow, you did risk your life! That spider has a skull on its back! And, I’m pretty sure red on a spider is a warning.
All the possible defensive markings! Red spikes! A smiley face skull on its back! Fangs! The ability to morph into a dragon!
I had to take pictures; I couldn’t help it.
You were right. I didn’t really like these pictures. But I did look at all of them. For more than a second. That’s love.
Then I had nightmares.
That’s a spiny orb-weaver. They look pretty menacing, but they’re not dangerous. They do build some pretty impressive webs, though. And they probably can morph into dragons.
I love that name. I figured the plainer looking ones might be more dangerous, but it’s fun to pretend. (We can also pretend I wasn’t pretending to pretend I was scared.)
Thanks for the ID, Linnaeus would be proud.
That is a very freaky looking spider. Something to dream about tonight! Do you remember the huge spider that spun a web across the trail to our cabin at girls camp? I think fourth year. Your pictures of the web are really cool!