On Sun, 03 Apr 2016 09:53:39 -0500, "cshenk" > wrote:

>Bruce wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>
>> On Sun, 03 Apr 2016 18:17:04 +1000, Jeßus > wrote:
>>
>> > On Sun, 03 Apr 2016 15:47:09 +0800, JBurns >
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >>On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 08:05:39 -0500, Gary > wrote:
>> > >
>> > > > Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>> >>>>
>> >>>> JBurns wrote:
>> >>>> > We have Australian Huntsman spiders, about as big as my hand.
>> We quite >>>> > often have one in the house.
>> > > >
>> >>>> Our spiders are about a quarter-inch across. If I saw a spider
>> as >>>> big as my hand anywhere in the house, I'd use the shotgun on
>> it.
>> > > >
>> > > > LMAO! ME TOO! ARRRGGGH! ;-D
>> > >
>> > > They are a bit daunting, but if you are faced with them often
>> > > enough you get desensitised. They are harmless critters that keep
>> > > other insects down. They must also be territorial because the
>> > > house never seems to have more than one at a time (visibly
>> > > anyway), and maybe some babies.
>> >
>> > True, you never seem to see more than one really big one at a time.
>> > We used to have some real whoppers up in Queensland, they're
>> > relatively small here in Tas.
>>
>> The biggest one I've seen was in Tas. Bigger than any I've seen in
>> NSW. Must have been a fluky specimen.
>
>Biggest I ever saw was in Japan. It was a good 6 inches across and
>very furry. It was on my bicycle I used to get to and from work.
>Freaked me out! Apparently whatever type it was, it's harmless as my
>neighbor came over and scouped it up and dropped it on the tree under
>the balcony. Didn't see anymore but I was always careful to check my
>bike after that.

Better that you saw it on the bike first I guess

Biggest spiders I had to deal with was when I lived in the Northern
Territory as a kid. There are these huge bird catching spiders, maybe
similar to yours, about 6 inches across. A couple of times at night
when camping I walked right into their web, which would stop you in
your tracks as the web is so strong... meanwhile, you wonder where the
spider is... I don't think they bite people though, because I'd never
heard of that happening.