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Thread: Spiders & Other Stuff

  1. #1
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    Default Spiders & Other Stuff

    Quote Originally Posted by M-R View Post
    Jma, you're speaking Greek. Or possibly Sanskrit.
    But I can work out your thinking OK - and Phil will be sighing.
    So: Linux drivers are by and large installed automatically; but can be installed manually (or once a year, as my husband liked to say) ?

    Oh, P.S. is your avatar your avatar because it's the ugliest thing you know ? - and if so, why ? Or am I seeing it all wrong ?

    G'day M-R,

    In English it means something like this:
    Hardware is what you can physically touch, software gets installed to the hardware to make things work, drivers allow the hardware and software to play nice together and theoretically, work.
    Computers can connect to the internet and each other in different ways, one of those ways is wirelessly with no cables/leads etc.
    On very new computers that contain the latest hardware, sometimes those that build Linux operating systems haven't had a chance to develop the required drivers the operating system needs so the wireless function works correctly.

    Phil will get over it I'm fairly certain

    Yes, in a lot of instances Linux comes with required drivers already installed, occasionally not though, and that's mostly on very new hardware.
    If you're considering a laptop that's been out for a few years, then most things will probably work already.

    Don't you like my cute little spider?
    Not even sure exactly what it is, some type of funnel-web I think, on the blacksoil downs country in western QLD.
    The avatar pic is of it defending it's home from the piece of grass that was annoying it at the time.
    The pool of liquid under it's fangs is venom...














Look Here ->
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    Premium Member M-R's Avatar
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    Oh, that's DIFFERENT ! A spider ! - no worries. I thought it was some kind of horrible tick, or similar kind of thing.
    But a spider is fine, as long as it's not one of those with a bite that turns your flesh into necrotic awfulness ..
    What about one of these but ?

    Last edited by M-R; 09-01-20 at 05:45 PM.
    I'll tell thee everything I can: there's little to relate ...

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    LSemmens
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    Strangely enough, I thought it was bucket of prawns in the sun! [runs][hides]
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

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    Premium Member M-R's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lsemmens View Post
    Strangely enough, I thought it was bucket of prawns in the sun! [runs][hides]
    Wastin yer time: I can see you !
    I'll tell thee everything I can: there's little to relate ...

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    Quote Originally Posted by M-R View Post
    Oh, that's DIFFERENT ! A spider ! - no worries. I thought it was some kind of horrible tick, or similar kind of thing.
    But a spider is fine, as long as it's not one of those with a bite that turns your flesh into necrotic awfulness ..
    What about one of these but ?

    Jumping spiders are common here but I've never seen one of the Peacock variety yet.

    Ha ha, a tick is a lot closer guess than a bucket of prawns

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jma View Post
    Jumping spiders are common here but I've never seen one of the Peacock variety yet.

    Ha ha, a tick is a lot closer guess than a bucket of prawns
    But I still can't work out how its legs are arranged, Jma: are they joined on around that little flat bit in the middle, and .. ahh .. 'going' backwards ?
    Or what ?
    I'll tell thee everything I can: there's little to relate ...

  • #7
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    What you're looking at in the pic, the little flat bit in the middle, is called the Sternum
    It's the underside of the cephalothorax, which is the bit the legs are attached to.
    Most spiders have 2 bits, the cephalothorax where all the legs, eyes, fangs etc. are located and the abdomen.
    Fangs are pretty obvious at the top centre facing downwards, then you have the sternum, from that you can see 6 of the 8 legs curving upwards then bent in the middle to lock it's position onto the side of the burrow, the other 2 legs you can't quite see, they're facing downwards.
    Classic defensive position when defending it's lair, it chased the piece of grass I had for a few seconds (top pic) then retreated to it's burrow & decided nothing was getting in there unless it was full of holes and venom.
    After trying to kill the grass and failing it would grab the grass between the upper part of it's fangs then use it's body to push it upwards & out of the burrow, keeping those legs locked in position against the outside of the burrow, the venom is from it's attempts to kill the grass before it tried to remove it.

    Top view:






    EDIT: Ok, we've been warned, no more spiders in this thread...

    EDIT-2: mtv, can you split those offtopic posts to another thread please?
    Last edited by Jma; 10-01-20 at 07:34 PM. Reason: Acknowledging offtopic warning

  • #8
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    Default Spiders & Other Stuff

    Continuation from the offtopic discussion with M-R about spiders that was in this thread -


    Quote Originally Posted by M-R View Post
    They were bloody interesting Jma ! - you're an arachnophile I see.
    Spiders, snakes & most other creepy crawlies don't bother me at all.
    Not all that fussed on ticks though, what their purpose in the grand scheme of things is I have no idea, but I haven't seen one I'd call useful for anything yet...




    An orb weaver that decided to make a home in the front of my car a few years ago...

    Last edited by Jma; 11-01-20 at 03:58 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jma View Post
    Don't you like my cute little spider?
    Not even sure exactly what it is, some type of funnel-web I think, on the blacksoil downs country in western QLD.
    The avatar pic is of it defending it's home from the piece of grass that was annoying it at the time.
    The pool of liquid under it's fangs is venom...












    I have never seen a Funnel Web spider that is not black or mostly black.
    Maybe it is very small and juvenile but the juvenile Funnel Webs I have seen are also black.

    Common rule for me in Australia is to stay away or if safely possible, remove any spider that is BLACK.

    Before Admin chimes in, I never kill any Spiders. The birds do that for me.
    In general I find spiders useful but black spiders in the house are a big no for me and I catch them safely and bring them outside.

    Snakes don't bother me too much either and I mean that literally, they leave me alone because I don't try to scare them away or anything.
    I had a nice carpet snake residing on my property for a few weeks always sleeping in the day time in the same spot in the garden, coiled up totally vulnerable and after it left I had no trouble with rats for at least six months.
    Last edited by Uncle Fester; 11-01-20 at 05:25 PM.
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    Premium Member M-R's Avatar
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    Spiders, snakes & most other creepy crawlies don't bother me at all.
    Not all that fussed on ticks though, what their purpose in the grand scheme of things is I have no idea, but I haven't seen one I'd call useful for anything yet...
    An orb weaver that decided to make a home in the front of my car a few years ago...



    Lucky you ! - orb weavers are beautiful, as are their .. orbs.
    We're inculcated by our parents re being afraid of creatures. I used to be terrified of huntsmen. But as I get ancienter and ancienter such silly fears leave me.
    So I'm lucky too !
    Last edited by M-R; 11-01-20 at 06:57 PM.
    I'll tell thee everything I can: there's little to relate ...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Fester View Post
    I have never seen a Funnel Web spider that is not black or mostly black.
    Maybe it is very small and juvenile but the juvenile Funnel Webs I have seen are also black.
    Snakes don't bother me too much either and I mean that literally, they leave me alone because I don't try to scare them away or anything.
    I had a nice carpet snake residing on my property for a few weeks always sleeping in the day time in the same spot in the garden, coiled up totally vulnerable and after it left I had no trouble with rats for at least six months.
    Found it ! - and it's sad ..


    So Jma (in an Uncle Fester reply !), you are one of the last.
    And Uncle Fester, you're quite right.

    I actually love snakes; I think they're really beautiful. Chances are I mightn't be frightfully keen if a red-bellied black snake appeared on my doormat but.
    I'll tell thee everything I can: there's little to relate ...

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    Quote Originally Posted by M-R View Post
    Chances are I mightn't be frightfully keen if a red-bellied black snake appeared on my doormat but.
    We had a red-belly black snake turn up in the garden each summer for several years... assuming it was the same one.

    It never bothered us and we never bothered it.

    Then a couple of eastern brown snakes tuned up and I never saw the red-belly again.

    I would never be comfortable with eastern brown snakes around.

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    Quote Originally Posted by mtv View Post
    We had a red-belly black snake turn up in the garden each summer for several years... assuming it was the same one.

    It never bothered us and we never bothered it.

    Then a couple of eastern brown snakes tuned up and I never saw the red-belly again.

    I would never be comfortable with eastern brown snakes around.
    Oh ! - I didn't realize that the eastern brown is the more dangerous !
    Here's hoping your r-bbs left in a hurry, rather than in an ebs ..
    I'll tell thee everything I can: there's little to relate ...

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    Everything I have been told including a recognised expert said Blacks chase the browns away so keep the blacks around. Curious if the browns chased the black away but maybe outnumbering it made the difference.

    Browns are seen all the time around me. Neighbors have sighted them many times and warned me. So far very happy never seen one in my yard.
    Shitting myself for the day I do because it will have probably bit me before I see it. I try to make a noise ahead of me when I go anywhere that seems a possible hiding place and move things with a pole first.

    From what I have been told, Only way to keep them out is with snake mesh which isn't really practical on my property.

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    Quote Originally Posted by george65 View Post
    Everything I have been told including a recognised expert said Blacks chase the browns away so keep the blacks around. Curious if the browns chased the black away but maybe outnumbering it made the difference.
    I have been told the same thing about blacks by numerous sources. You may be right about outnumbering.

    Also had a visit from a diamond python... should have a pic somewhere of it climbing a colorbond fence.. will post it if I find it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by M-R View Post
    Oh ! - I didn't realize that the eastern brown is the more dangerous !
    Yep.. the brown is the deadliest Australian snake.... and the second-most toxic snake in the world!


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    LSemmens
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    The only spiders that have a limited life expectancy in my place are "deadBacks" All the rest I just relocate as SWMBO does not like them. She was bitten by a Redback once and has been afraid of spiders ever since. Brown snakes have been reported in my area not that I have seen any. We are surrounded by farmland, so I'd not be surprised if one turns up on my doorstep one day.
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

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    Reminds me of this little guy from Alien.

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    Crikey ! - what a lot of people interested !
    I s'pose we are living in Oz, after all: the place other peoples like to comment endlessly on re our deadly wildlife ..
    But honestly, the facehugger ?
    I'll tell thee everything I can: there's little to relate ...

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    LSemmens
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    We saw Alien when it first came out at the movies back in 1980. We'd read the book and SWMBO would not read it when I was not home.... Anyway, we took our newborn baby with us and, time the movie was over, everyone was laughing. Why? Because every time there was a really tense moment in the movie when everyone was on the edge of their seat, all you could hear was this little baby uttering a quiet siiiiiiiigh. Not loud, or distracting, but just enough to crack the place up.
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

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