Rare spider halts multi-million dollar highway project

What they should have done was just step on it and kick it in the hole, fill the hole with concrete. Case closed!

There may be an outcry over this but..... The spider was considered extinct, why not leave it that way. Extinction happens continually, if it didn't we would be overrun. I wish the contractor would have just filled the hole with cement and continued on. Fortunately I don't have to drive in that area and I am very glad of it!

@Butterfly: You sound like a tree hugging liberal!! JK, I agree with what you are saying...

FreeHole, you just broke my heart, and I'll tell you why. Although I disagree with you on many things, we do actually agree on a number of things (or we have in the past) and you've been very kind to me several times. To have you reinvent my NEW name in such a way is painful to me. I've not been nasty to you, and if you've taken it that way, you misunderstood me. It is a very complicated issue, and there isn't an easy answer. I just have a problem with calling for a "big kill" of something that truly is vital to our existence. And, I'm not one in the corner of ridding the world of Pit Bulls, especially when that name covers a large range of dogs, ie Pit Bull Type dogs. It's the ones specifically bred or trained for fighting or protection for drug sellers in the last 30 years or so that have given such a bad name and reputation to the honest and good dogs that generally fall into the category of a pit bull TYPE of dog. If the politicians and warlords are the problem with getting aid and relief to the hungry, decimating the oceans of sharks and the US of pit bulls to feed them won't help if it won't get past the corruption to the starving masses. Even the Texas Blind Salamander (Eurycea rathbuni), has its own contributions to its habitat and our planet. I'm not a tree hugger, but I am for knowledge and responsible stewardship of our planet and its inhabitants. I HATE the waste, arrogance, and selfishness of our country & society, ESPECIALLY when we have hungry of our own to care for. I really wish that the restaurants would be legally allowed and would participate in donating to local food banks or kitchens instead of filling the dumpster.

trutex, I heard about this earlier today. Yes, the spider was killed and dissected in order to determine that it truly was the endangered species!! Idiocy!!!

Did I read that correctly, the spider will be dissected?! They killed this supposedly rare spider? So it's OK to kill it for dissection but not OK to go anywhere near it with construction equipment. Something tells me this spider is nowhere near as rare as they think but just does not live where they think it lives.

Butt-er-Fly...I know what you're talking about. And there are groups trying to feed the hungry in Africa, only to see their efforts mis-used by politicians and warlords to enrich themselves, while the kids starve. It's a very complicated issue. And I know how it would affect us the lack of bats, for example. But the blind salamander living in dark, underground ponds? This blind spider? They are really worthless. And we can eliminate the sharks, I think, without causing an ecological catastrophe. We just substitute that link in the chain with our own needs for sea-food. I guess it would be like Pitbull dogs. There's absolutely no need for those, and they cause harm to humans from time to time. Feed them to the hungry also. Lastly, I have firsthand knowledge of the waste of food in this country. Just go to a restaurant at closing time and you will see perfectly good food go to the waste bin, in most cases.

You know, an enterprising entrepreneur could build a good business packing that supposedly not sellable produce, or whatever foods would fall into that category, for the needy. There are organizations that would pay for it and distribute it where needed.

FreeHole, don't get pissy with me. I was pointing out that your noble idea isn't the solution. Sure, we can feed the starving kids as you "suggest", but at what cost to the entire planet? There really shouldn't be the problem of starving children (and adults) when there are countries with a bountiful plenty that a massive amount of goes to waste. We're all at fault. Do you have any idea how many sharks are actually wasted by those greedy for the fins? They capture the sharks, cut the fins off, then return the sharks to the water to die (and the meat goes wasted). Granted, this is an illegal, poaching activity, but I'm trying to make a point. Due to this activity, there is already concern regarding the decimating of the sharks and disruption of Nature's food chain. Do you have any idea of the food in this country that goes to waste? That percentage is huge. It begins with the items that are thrown away because that tomato or zucchini wasn't pretty enough to sit in the store's bin. We turn away enough fresh produce daily for this vain reason to feed all the hungry childen in the US three square vegetarian meals a day, with plenty to spare for others hungry. We're all guilty of filling our trash cans with wasted food, which helps keep dumpster divers alive. People in other countries don't waste any part of the animal they kill for food. We waste most of the animal. Then, there are the deer hunters that kill for the thrill and the big rack to hang on their wall and feed the meat to the buzzards and raccoons. I totally agree with wanting to feed the starving, but we must use reason and sense to find the way, and decimating Earth's natural way isn't the best answer. And, I don't consider the children of Africa (or anywhere) "stupid, worthless" and undeserving of a life & future. We are entirely too spoiled and selfish and wasteful, but that's our human problem, and not the responsibility of the animals to solve for us by unreasonable forced sacrifice.

How about this idea ...maybe we should be calling some one down at the zoo to bring there happy butts over and collect mr and mrs old a$$ spider and give them a new home with three hots and a cot so that these guys can quit leaning up against there shovels and get back to work.