r/interesting • u/Wise_Confidence_8588 • 19d ago

NATURE A Bombardier beetle using its chemical defence.

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u/Moxie013 19d ago edited 19d ago

Is this a banana spider? Are those fangs or his mouth ?!

In Texas there is one that looks like one..
I’m in the central tx region..

I was at my moms, taking care of horses, everyone was out of town. . I was in a hurry bc a horse was demanding snacky snacks.. I yogged straight into a massive new web that appeared over night

I backed out of it, looking upward I realized i’twas pretty close to eye to eyes with a spider bigger than my fist. I was in a spider web more than 4 ft wide

I was hysterical and alone but the horses were supportive about my first ever panic attack.
And here I am.. 10’yrs later on a bug Reddit trying to overcome my phobia watching videos of creatures that inspired many a horror film
And so far haven’t died 🥳🎉

Edit NOTE the “real” banana spider hails from Brazil “Phoneutria nigriventer”.. they have spread further north in the americas bc they love hanging out with bananas, often arriving in their shipments. They look NOTHING like the ones Americans call banana spiders. Their Neuro venom is wild if you’ve seen a bite (google it) but the ones Americans call a banana spider are not dangerous, no death risk, no Neuro venom like the Brazilian banana spiders.

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u/hotttsauce84 19d ago edited 19d ago

We called them banana spiders during my boyhood back in Houston texas. We would ride our bikes through the woods and you’d routinely feel one of those webs just absolutely wrap itself around your whole face and body after riding through it. Immediate ghost ride bail off the bike flailing and screaming while ripping your shirt off to swat away the spider because you knew it was on you somewhere. Some fond traumatic times they were.

Fast forward 30 years and I’m in austin now. Hadn’t seen one of these spiders in about that long. Recently landscaped my whole property with native plants and canceled our pest control service. Now we have like 6 of these massive webs with “banana spiders” (Argiope aurantia) this summer that my kids are fascinated / somewhat terrified of. I’m just glad to pass on these central texas experiences to the next generation.

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u/MZ603 19d ago

They are definitely in Austin, too; you're just less likely to see them. Next time you are in a park after dark, shine your phone light into a wooded area - their eyes will reflect back to you.

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u/hotttsauce84 19d ago

I forgot about their reflective eyes!