WWYD: Giant armoured mum spider (assumed) with eggs has taken over my egg chair

[Flupitude]

For various reasons I didn't get a chance to use my super duper expensive double egg chair last year. On Saturday DH hosed it down and pulled it out into the middle of the garden, jet washed the cushion, left it out to dry.

DS had a quick lie in it just now and came in casually mentioning that DH had missed a spider. A shiny spider.

I've gone out to check and the spider looks like something out of Aliens. It's huge. It does indeed have a super shiny exterior, the longest legs, it has spun a protective layer over itself and it has positioned itself over a giant sphere, which I can only assume to be its eggs.

DH wants to jet wash it off and while I agree on some level, on another level it just feels quite wrong. It's mumming.

But I've waited two years to sit on my egg chair. I've rustled up my book and everything. What do I do?

What would you do?

I'm currently sitting in a camping chair next to my egg chair. DH and DS laughing at me. How long until the eggs hatch? Shall I just wait for them to hatch? We can jet wash them then no?

Shucks am too late to suggest donating the chair to your mil...

😂

They cause less trouble in this world than humans do.

EDIT: Just to add, I'm terrified of them. I know it's totally irrational as they're not going to harm me. But I would never hurt them. I catch them in a cup and put them outside (or, more accurately, throw the cup down and run away).

To balance some of the horror stories, I was bitten by a false widow and nothing happened. It felt like a wasp sting, and then stopped hurting after about five minutes. There's a conversation to be had about them being an invasive species, and I do evict any I find in my house because of DS, but I wouldn't kill any, especially not a mummy spider guarding her eggs!

Any other spiders I leave them be.

@cravingicedwater No they're not. Certainly no more disgusting that cats or dogs. There's been one reported fatal spider bite in the UK in the past 20 odd years, compared to the amount of human deaths from dog attacks. Then there's the wildlife and farm animals both species kill.

To be fair, it is called an egg chair. Spidermum was using it for the purpose intended 😁 Glad you got her sorted and put her somewhere safe!

You’re so lovely to want to protect them. I would let them be for a little while and sit in your egg chair another time. The weather is changing soon anyway.

And for those who say false widow spiders are a problem, for the last few years we’ve shared our conservatory with several false widows. They have had babies a few times who have scuttled off (we’ve also helped to relocate some to the garage).

The bites might be more painful than other spiders but the scare stories we see in the press are from people who have developed secondary infections which can happen with any bite or injury.

Oh sorry I missed the update! Glad she has a new home 😍

OMG! Yes get rid.Imagine the hundreds of babies who then make a beeline for your house,especially in any rainy weather(spiders head indoors to get out of rain) its also made me want to inspect/bleach scrub the garden rocking chair i keep outside all year...(omg i sat down in that a minute other week,without looking!

Then bleach scrub your chair, and buy a new cushion.and a cover.and store in a garage if poss.

I’m not a spider lover but try to not kill then and small ones cope just with a glass over them and paper and put the window

I could have not gone near that mummy. She was huge - glad you managed to move her to safety

tho how the hell did dh miss seeing when cleaning chair

I would have to really inspect the chair before using it to make sure no more hiding

Just seen update.yes your brave.But personally i would have disposed of it. Nature wont thank you if we do become over run with false widows.

Oh..no...whatever next. This is not "mumming" and does not need your compassion.
The spiders that build nests to stay in are funnel web spiders. The true funnel web spider has a venomous bite that kills.
And the false widow is similar, found in the U.K. It also bites.
Some people are allergic to their bites.
My daughters leg swelled up like crazy.
I kill them when I see them.
Put it on my "bad " account if you must, but get rid of them as permanently as you can before hundreds hatch. They are a menace!

The “scare stories” = people’s actual lived experience. Some have posted on this thread.

ah just more painful and of the ones who really suffer to the extent they wind up in hospital it’s a secondary infection so that’s alright then is it? 🙄

If this is to the Op she apparently already has relocated them.

I’m with you though, I don’t really get all the spider love. I don’t see an issue with killing them the same way I don’t see an issue killing flies or wasps.

There's a time and a place - yes, spiders and wasps and mice and rats are important to the ecosystem and biodiversity. I don't mind some spiders, but otherwise, I don't want any of them in my home, however important they may be for pollination and feeding other animals.

So relocated. And so much sympathy for a spider that is highly territorial and not to be trusted.
When it pops its dear little head out it's being territorial, not friendly. And yes they do walk towards the victim to bite it. Its not accidental. Recently I had one walking on an airbed I was sleeping on and yes, I jumped out of bed and I squished it.

I cant believe people prefer spiders to humans .

I had such a big problem with false widows and yes, they too found their way to the wood pile and and started to establish themselves.

Also to the corner of a brick wall.

But the thing the OP has forgotton is that there will be a large male spider somewhere in the vicinity.
Maybe even under the chair or a stone or wherever.

So 2 robust adults breeding in THEIR TERRITORY. And hundred s of young hatching.

Theres a comedian who covers this situation in a joke. White Jamaican Yardie! Whole family tries to befriend a venomous spider ( a redback) and get bitten and die!
They wanted to keep it as a pet!!
I thought it was too far fetched to be true so I was amazed at how many people would actually feel that way.

popsnafflerock....maybe youve travelled in your life ( I hope you have!) I am horrifiedby the number of people who think its normal to encourage them!
I shall have to read Charlottes Web to discover what is making people sentimental about an aggressively territorial spider.
Its not really fair on the human children but when you think about it no one wants to really admit the dangers in life because it makes us feel bad.

Well it was outside, so not in OP's home. (Unlike the massive spider I have hanging out in my kitchen just above the window. Not a false widow though.) I encourage spiders because I'd rather have them than mosquitos or midges.

@Dewdust Who said anyone prefers spiders in humans? Is that your interpretation of people not killing spiders? I never kill spiders deliberately. Not even falsies. They get evicted.
It's also a good idea to catch venomous spiders rather than kill them and take them to places where they can be 'milked' to make anti-venom. Doesn't apply to the UK as such but I've seen people in Australia do so.
Actually rethinking that. I certainly prefer spiders to some humans. (Rapists and child abusers, for example.)
And yes you can keep spiders as pets. I love tarantulas, and jumping spiders although they're tiny.