I just had to post this. I killed this sucker in my back yard a few hours ago. I spotted it hanging out under one of our windows. This is the biggest one I've ever seen. It's body was the size of a nickel, and from it of leg to tip of leg was easily two inches. I've killed a number if these over the past couple of years, but none even half this size. I didn't even know they got this big. I don't think I need to tell you what kind of spider this is.
When a couple came home motored up the garage door, something reflected back from their head lights from the back of the garage, it was the eyes of a very large spider! They sold the house in Arkansas and moved back to Illinois.