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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not understand why people are scared of spiders.

64 replies

alistron1 · 02/04/2011 22:38

They are smaller than us, they can't kill us (well here in the uk they can't Grin )and they are rather cute IMHO.

I don't have tarantula's or owt. but in my life where ever I go I am chief spider catcher and the histrionics over them bewilder me.

Why are so many people reduced to gibbering wrecks by them?!

Now wasps...that's a different matter Grin

OP posts:
worraliberty · 02/04/2011 22:40

I don't like them because there's something about the way they scuttle that makes my skin crawl.

I'm not totally scared of them though. I catch them in a cup and tip them outside.

The only thing worse than spotting a spider on the wall next to your bed, is blinking and then suddenly not spotting a spider on the wall next to your bed.....

notnowbernard · 02/04/2011 22:40

"Now wasps... that's a different matter"

There you go, you've answered your own OP

Irrational fears are that... irrational

I know that UK spiders are harmless useful, in fact)

I am scared shitless of them though

twinkytonk · 02/04/2011 22:40

Some may not understand why you are scared of wasps Wink

Tikkabillajive · 02/04/2011 22:41

God, I so wish I could feel like you about them but they TERRIFY me. It's the way they lurk and then appear unexpectedly in piles of laundry, or running across the sitting room floor.

I don't know why but my fear of spiders has got worse and worse in the last few years and now I'm practically hysterical throughout the whole of September, waiting for my spider encounter - there's always at least one.

princessparty · 02/04/2011 22:42

Wasps sting-although spiders can give you a painful bite too

Original poster
alistron1 · 02/04/2011 22:44

But wasps are nasty and sting indiscriminately, spiders might scuttle but I am convinced that the big un's at least have a basic intelligence and can actually be rather friendly.

We used to have a big one in our house (called boris) who only came out for a run around after the kids had gone to bed. He used to scuttle up to us and sometimes I'd hold him and stroke his furry legs.

I think spiders need some good PR.

OP posts:
weedle · 02/04/2011 22:45

You can't hear them coming!

Picture the scene..

DC finally in bed, first time you've seen DH in a week because it's crazy at work, just settled down with a bottle glass of Pinot and a film. Then out of the corner of your eye you see a scurry of movement. You look again and it's the size of a fucking puppy a huge hairy spider strutting around the lounge like it owns the joint. No idea where it's come from and where it's gone. Sneaky evil bastards Angry

worraliberty · 02/04/2011 22:46

Oh then there's the lesser spotted cleavage spider.

They spring into your cleavage before you even spot them. They tend to hide in your pillow case and duvet cover until you fall asleep...then they pounce and lay their eggs around the nipple area, or sometimes in your bra cups.

Original poster
alistron1 · 02/04/2011 22:46

Weedle, you have a Boris too!!! Pick him up, love him, stroke him and he will be your bestest friend!!

OP posts:
Original poster
alistron1 · 02/04/2011 22:47

The cleavage spider just wants some skin to skin. How could you deprive him/her of that, you cold monster.

OP posts:
griphook · 02/04/2011 22:47

they can crawl in you mouth, nose and ears, surely that's enough

EmmaBemma · 02/04/2011 22:48

they have too many legs and eyes. they're totally inscrutable and alien and not remotely cute... you'll never see one bashfully clutching a balloon on the front of a Hallmark card.

EricNorthmansMistress · 02/04/2011 22:48

YABU
It's a phobia - duh
Why am I scared of patterns of tiny holes? They can't hurt me, but looking at pictures gives me horrendous intrusive thoughts, physical shakes, nausea and headaches...a phobia is a mental disorder, not something logical!

Original poster
alistron1 · 02/04/2011 22:49

Has anyone here ever, ever, ever had a spider crawl in their mouth/nose/ears?! And even if a spider did they would just crawl back out again.

OP posts:
Original poster
alistron1 · 02/04/2011 22:49

Unless you swallowed it!!

OP posts:
LoveLeonardCohen · 02/04/2011 22:50

It's not a rational thing

spiderslegs · 02/04/2011 22:50

With you OP - spiders, moths, daddy long-legs, bees even - am quite happy to hold them in my hand, but wasps............Jeysus Christ - I am the running woman waving her arms in the air......

Bernard wasps ain't irrational - that's the point. Last time on of those fuckers attacked me I ended up in hospital having my rings cut off.

Tikkabillajive · 02/04/2011 22:50
Original poster
alistron1 · 02/04/2011 22:51

I'm not talking about phobia Eric, I'm talking about the low level heebeejeebees that 99% of the population exhibits about fluffy Boris's.

OP posts:
berylmuspratt · 02/04/2011 22:52

I'm not scared of spiders (we live near lots of fields and get some HUGE ones crawling up and down the stairs) but my MIL is terrified of them, however, I am scared of enclosed spaces and moths and she probably thinks that's weird.

weedle · 02/04/2011 22:52

I most certainly will not! If I'd seen him again he'd have had a bath in bleach

My uncle has a 'Fred' though in his work kitchen, they feed him steak!

ShowOfHands · 02/04/2011 22:52

Nowt wrong with a Boris in your house. But it's irrational so you can't judge.

I have trypophobia. Fear of summat that doesn't even move, in a scuttly fashion or otherwise.

PelvicFloorsOfSteel · 02/04/2011 22:55

I've heard a spider coming before - it was so big you could actually hear it's footsteps (do they have feet? steps anyway).

I used to put them outside but have since been told that house spiders don't fare well outdoors so it's as cruel as squashing them Sad. Now I just leave them to it and hope they keep the fly population down.

Original poster
alistron1 · 02/04/2011 22:57

Can't I judge a tiny bit? I have so little in my life that I can judge about...my kids love fruit shoots, me and MrA aint married, we don't own our home, we both work in schools (and thus are scum)....please let me have the spider superiority.

OP posts:
twinkytonk · 02/04/2011 23:01

I'm not going to sleep tonight for fear of spiders going in my cleavage and up my nose/mouth/ears