Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog

At the very bottom of my gorgeous face
      you may see what looks like a dreadful mouth
      and a little above that
      a large nose
      and a little above that
      two glaring eyes

And if you happen to be
      one of the lucky ones
      who is able to see these things
      then I will crawl into
      your midnight dream
      and come again 
      around Halloween
      to get a taste
      of your warm bloodstream

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These Tiger Spiders, Argiope trifasciata, are very large and are common web-weavers in our Illinois area.  They are so common in our Illinois area (in the fall) that i have — during nature photography outings — gotten used to inadvertently walking into their webs and having them crawling on me.  They, in reality, are perfectly harmless and get off of me (on their own) before i need to bother to remove them myself.  However, they are not harmless to grasshoppers and — nevertheless, during this U.S. holiday season — they may be visiting you tonight!   Lots of them!    

Tiger Spider (Argiope trifasciata) … Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2018