Arachnophobia?

Anyone who has spent time with me can tell you that I have an unhealthy dislike for spiders.  Now, I'm not going to run around screaming like a crazy person if I see one, but I do become very distracted if I come across one.  I have to watch its every move just to make sure it's not going to drop on my head or jump on me.  I seriously can't concentrate if I know a large spider is in the room with me and forget about sleeping.  If I know one is in the house I won't sleep.  My hubby thinks I'm crazy because I'll pick up a snake or frog anyday, but spiders just freak me out.  I have no idea why.
 

 

Yesterday morning as Madison was getting ready for school she says "Hey, Mommy!  Come look at this huge spider!"  Yeah, I came running only because I wanted to make sure it wasn't in the house.  It was hanging on a web outside my bedroom window.  And it was huge.  Not like Tarantula huge, but larger than your everyday spider.  I frantically checked every window on that side of the house to make sure there were no cracks that he could come through.

 

I took the kids to school and came back home.  Later in the day I was heading out to check the mail and walked right into a web.  I did freak a little because all I could think about what that humongous spider crawling somewhere on me.  It turned out that it was a smaller spider known as a Crab Spider and luckily he wasn't on me at all.  I can identify most spiders despite my fear of them.  I have learned that knowledge is power in defeating your enemies. ;o) I stood there trying to compose myself when something else caught my eye.  It was another Crab Spider web right next to this one.  Then I saw another spider web.  They were all over my yard. Talk about a nightmare!
 

 

The creatures are taking over.  I would like to take the time now to say that even though I have a fear of spiders I won't kill them.  Not because I have warm fuzzy feelings towards them, but because I know that they have a purpose and are useful.  My hubby jokes and says that they have taken up refuge in our yard because they know I won't kill them. Ironic, huh?

 

How are they useful you ask?  They eat mosquitos and here in South Georgia that's a good thing.  As much as I dislike spiders I hate mosquitoes.  And I have no qualms about smacking one of those little disease carrying suckers.  So, the spiders can stay and I even welcome them as long as they earn their keep by killing the "skeeters."