This not-so-little friend was walking along the wall of the back patio one night, not long after I had first moved to El Salvador.  I called out to my husband, who immediately grabbed the broom.  In a dramatic moment, I saved Spidey’s life: “Run, Spider, Run!” I yelled.  He escaped just before the broom slammed [...]

Two multi-horned spiders, red and white.   Seen in Los Planes de Renderos, El Salvador, October 9, 2010.  Looks like “Spinybacked Orbweaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis)”  per photos on BugGuide.net. See more at the Wonderful World of Insects in El Salvador Photo Gallery. ( CLICK to enlarge )

I love these guys!  Don’t know their name, but these spiders have a hard spotted shell with  two distinctive points or ‘horns’ so I just call them horny spiders.  Environment = high elevation in El Salvador (3,000 ft), and seen during rainy season. See more at the Wonderful World of Insects in El Salvador Photo [...]