Are domestic spiders vermin or eco-friendly companions?

[DickWhittingtonsCat]

My flat is very clean and I do not believe in killing animals unnecessarily. When necessary, I have killed head lice, ants, etc. There is one spider's web which I have been tolerating on the hall ceiling for over a year. Yesterday I saw a spider in the kitchen sink which was 2" across (I mean including legs) and started wondering whether it is unhygienic. Do spiders spread germs, eg if they crawl over clean plates on the drying rack, exposed fruit and veg? OTOH don't spiders' webs contain penicillin, and don't spiders tend to avoid dirty places which attract eg house flies?

[expatinscotland]

Interesting question. Don't know the answer, but like you I avoid killing living things as well. With the exception of Texas-sized cockroaches. Now those are just nasty.

[tarantula]

WE are wonderful friendly beautiful creatures who catch nasty insects and eat them.

But then Im not biased in anyway at all

[fastasleep]

I think spiders are quite clean as far as bugs go, you could try trapping it under a glass the good old fashioned way and putting it in the garden if you're worried!

[Caligula]

I work on the basis that they're good because they catch flies. Never heard of them being considered particularly dangerous in terms of spreading germs etc., not like flies.

[arachnaphobe]

IMHO ... the only good spider is a dead spider

[tarantula]

~sob~ but we are really friendly aracnophobe and if you kill us well wish 7 days badweather on you so there.

[iota]

aren't those little brown spots that you find on windowsills etc spider poo? someone told me it was, but I really don't know

[expatinscotland]

Hmmm. Next time you see Miss Spider, who about relocating her outside to enjoy the lovely Spring weather? That's what we always do w/uninvited guests.

[fastasleep]

I just thought, its the time of year isn't it -what if she has babies? They'd be all over!

[DickWhittingtonsCat]

I'm sure this spider is clever enough to find her way back in again if I put her out, or am I wildly overestimating her and Incy Wincy? Whenever you wash them down the drain, they curl up, breathe air from the bubbles trapped by their hairy legs, and climb up the spout again, don't they (I remember seeing this when I was a child on TV)! I thought she might be pregnant too after seeing the size of her yesterday. All the more reason to be hospitable... Remember "Charlotte's Web"? I'm sure they lay lots of eggs altogether in a sack hanging from the web - no sign of that yet. I think I am too busy to take any action, unless she makes lurking in the sink a habit, or starts lurking near my bed! I have a right-on cousin in a tropical country who does some organic farming, and his ceiling was absolutely covered with masses of spiders webs, however, he says it controls the mosquitoes naturally. Maybe I need my little spider too?

[fastasleep]

Watch out for white fuzzy marble sized sacks (depending on your spider) they'll have lots of eggs in... she'll put them somewhere warm and dry, otherwise she might be type of spider who hatches loads and then they eat her....not sure how they lay their eggs. It's quite sweet that you're being hospitable - I'm sure they're not dirty!