I found this spider hibernating in a cardboard box on my front porch (Kentucky). After disturbing it's hibernating spot, I felt bad about leaving it out in the cold to die, so I put it in a jar, and have been feeding it crickets from the pet store, and giving it a few drops of water every couple days. It seems to be pretty content in there, and shed it's skin the other day, making it MUCH larger and creepier than before!! It is approx 3 inches from foot to foot. I plan on releasing it in the spring (far, far away from me! LOL!).
Hard to get a really good pic of it from outside the jar, but it appears to be light brown with slightly darker brown markings, and has four VERY tiny yellow dots on it's big "butt" part - you can barely see the dots in this photo.
It always rests in this position, with it's four front legs in a "V" shape. It was hibernating in that position when I found it.
When it attacks it's prey, it does not use webbing, but grabs & bites & holds on. It does not just suck the life out of it's victims, but actually EATS them. The first cricket I put in there was almost entirely consumed, there was just one leg and a couple crumbs left on the floor of the jar the next day!
Thanks in advance!!! :)
J
