[Professional Engineer]

We have these Wolf spiders all over. They're harmless, and actually very benficial. Dead, they dry up to about 1/4" across. This is what elf-boy freaked over.

I don't remember if he saw one of these Yellow Garden spiders last year. We have a few of them about. They're also a harmless beneficial spider. About 4 inches across when the legs are spread.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

When I was in Texas (late 80's) for six months, I visited a fellow who had one of those Yellow Garden Spiders as a pet -- it lived in a corner of the eaves by the garage. It was huge, but spectacular in coloring (the yellow). He lived near Travis Lake.

[My back yard]

I once had a big wolf spider of some kind that I kept in a small birdcage. lol

I also once kept a velvet ant in a cage for about a year or more. Fed it bottle caps of Big Red. he seemed happy. That was scarier than any spider, even the tarantulas we catch around here. Their other name is 'Cow killer'. Very serious, painful bite.

[ecurbh]