Look what I found!

I was weeding around my little Kutsura Tree when I found this. I was glad I found it -- otherwise it might have found me! I was startled.

I didn't know Missouri had spiders this big. I described it to Himself as the size of a Tartanula. It is! It is huge. Do you notice I am saying "it is huge"? I had planned to lock it up in this jar and let the sun bake it to death. Then I was going to preserve it for my grandchildren, some way or another, so they could take it to show and tell.

I was going to perserve her but Himself said, Let that spider go. So I took her across the road. I took the lid off the jar and lay it in the weeds. She could go free . . . but not in MY yard!

PS: it is a she as that white thing on her abdomen is the egg sack. She's going to hatch out about another 100 just like her! I can't quite match my photo up with "Identified" spiders in the internet but I will call her a Fishing Spider. That is as close a match as I can make without touching her. And I didn't. I won't!