Arizona Chickens

[City farm]

Sweet!  That must have been great fun.  Where did you go and what did you catch them with?  Did you weigh that big one?  The dog proudly posing with the fish is great too. 

The big one was the only one we weighed and it was 17 lbs. I think it was a little bigger. Ha. Me and a buddy went to Lake Pleasant and we caught all of those on small Bluegill. We had some real small bass but they never caught anything.

Did you hear about a few people out at that lake, they got caught putting cement with rebar near where people cliff dive?

 

[K9Dave]

Did you hear about a few people out at that lake, they got caught putting cement with rebar near where people cliff dive?

I did hear that but didn't want to believe it.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I could be wrong on the id, but I am 99% sure the critter in that photo is a crab spider. Probably a young one, based on the color and apparent size. They are relatively small when they are young. It's the body structure and stance that clinch the id for me. Low slung stance with legs way out to the sides, which keeps the body close to the surface it is standing on. And the critter in the photo was found on a bedroom wall. Classic crab spider habitat and behavior. Plus it's that time of year. I've found several young ones in my place the last couple of weeks. If you could see it in motion there wouldn't be any question. Those things tend to move sideways. Fast.

You very well could be right! I'm sure you have much more experience with giant crab spiders than I do. Unless I have a lot of personal experience with a given spider species I'm very cautious about IDs from pics, I've spent far too many frustrating hours staring at them under the microscope keying them out. I think that the individual in the pic is an adult male, judging by the degree of sclerotization on his reproductive organs. You're right too about the right time of year to see them. This is the time of year that males in a diversity of spider species mature and shift from a relatively sedentary lifestyle to a nomadic mate-searching mode, so they're more visible. I wish we had more spiders here in the city, they're so susceptible to pesticide residues that many species don't do well. We did have a fair amount of black widows, but the chickens ate them all. Although, in recent years we're seeing more and more jumping spiders and orb weavers appearing in the yard since we don't spray pesticides.

BTW, it warmed my heart to hear how well you treat your giant grab spiders.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Quote: Whoa, 17 lbs.!!! That's great!

 

[City farm]

Did you hear about a few people out at that lake, they got caught putting cement with rebar near where people cliff dive?

I did hear that but didn't want to believe it.

Was it in the news? I tried to watch the news, with no luck. Did they give the names of these freaks?

 

[ChuskaMtns]

That fish looks like it could easily take on your dog! Congratulations on the big catch & I love the pic with your dog standing proudly over his catch.

 

[K9Dave]

Wrong person

Edited

 

[K9Dave]

@iridearoadking. Mark?

 

[iridearoadking]

Hi Dave

 

[K9Dave]

Hi Dave

Got it.

Welcome.

Found Mark on FB and suggested he come over and say hi. He's local and makes real nice coops and has beautiful Lavender Americanas.