Help!!! what kind of spiders are these?????

Apollo Beach, FL

We have recently moved into a new house. it is in a development and i have a small lake approx. 70 yards behind my house. about 6 days ago my wife woke me at 2am and told me there was a huge spider in out screen patio in the back. i woke up and we killed it as it was trying to make its way under the door jam to the inside of the house. it was huge. i would say bigger than the average adult male palm. then 2 nights ago we saw another but this one was alittle smaller. not by much though. then today i had insect people come out and they found a nest on my patio wall up high. almost matched a mud divers nest. he sprayed it and a bunch of barely born spiders came falling out of it and to the ground. weird part is they were each bigger than a dollar coin easy. i have provided some pictures. i also had one on my front porch. please help me indentify and let me know a way to get them away as for one has already hitched a ride on my dogs leg inside and i just happened to see it. it was as big as my palm. i have to young kids and want to insure there safety. thank you for all your help in advance. , CS2(SW/AW)BLATCHLEY,K. U.S.Navy

Thumbnail by blatchleyk
Sinks Grove, WV

It is difficult to be certain because of the condition and position of the spider, but it might be one of the orb-weaving spiders in the genus Argiope - see http://tinyurl.com/mfhn53 and http://tinyurl.com/kv6c6a for examples. Like all orb weaving spiders, these are harmless to humans. The only spiders in Florida of real medical concern are the widow spiders (Latrodectus sp.) and the brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa) - see http://tinyurl.com/nsmtfw for images.
Also, unless one is hyper-allergic to bee/wasp venom, mud daubers (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae likewise are harmless. They are not aggressive, and one has to actually pick one up in order to be risk for a sting. I have often observed them at very close range, and have never experienced any threatening behavior, let alone a sting.

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