This is my post for freewriters 2482 prompt a giant spider’s lunch hosted by @mariannewest
When you think of spiders you would never think that a banana would be a giant spider's lunch, but it is said that is what they feed on. As a child I thought they would feed on me, I hated running into one of their webs and not knowing if the spider was on me.
As a kid I would play in the mangroves, they grow in water and there were always barnacles or oysters under them so we tried to stay on top of the roots. Some of the roots hung down from the branches and we would play like we were Tarzan and swing across them. If you were lucky you did not come face to face with a huge banana spider. But sometimes you were not so lucky, the web alone was enough to scare you.
Why is it called a banana spider?
The term “banana spider” is a common name used to describe several species of spiders that are found in tropical and subtropical regions, including the golden silk orb-weaver spider (Nephila clavipes) and the Brazilian wandering spider (Phoneutria nigriventer).
There are a few different theories about why these spiders are called banana spiders. One possibility is that the golden silk orb-weaver spider is often found on banana plants, which are a common food source.
Another theory is that the term “banana spider” comes from the appearance of the spider’s body, which is often yellow or golden, resembling a ripe banana color. It’s worth noting that the term “banana spider” is not a scientific name but a common name used colloquially.
https://florida-environmental.com/pests/spiders/banana-spider/#:~:text=There%20are%20a%20few%20different,a%20common%20name%20used%20colloquially.
There are also spiders in the water, this is a spider crab and I do not like them either, they are like the banana spider and do not hurt you but their pointy little legs give me the hibby-jibbies.
photos are mine
We have banana spiders out here too, and their size in the late summer is always a surprise.
They are freaky things
OMG, I've never seen a spider that huge except on TV. I'd freak out if I ever ran into one.
imagine being a child and running into their web, it is scary.