I like the first one, but for 2 and 3, too much is out of focus. This is always a problem with "close-ups" - getting enough of it in focus. If you can try these again, I would suggest you try and get the eyes in focus as this almost always makes for a decent image, even if other parts are a bit OOF.
Shot with a 55mm @ F5.6? I am assuming you don't have a Macro lens!
Most macro is shot at very small apertures to increase DOF... Non-macro lenses traditionally have much deeper DOF since they won't focus as close. Even so.. you needed more DOF on these shots. If you had shot at F16... it would have improved them greatly!
Yeah, I agree with both of you. Right now I still only have my kit lens. This was a wild tarantula, so the only way i'll be able to try it again is if I stumble upon another one, but I think their migration period in Arkansas is over, so it's unlikely. Maybe next year...