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Original poster

To ask if it's only my garden that's suddenly become spider central??

212 replies

Cantthinkofanythinggood · 24/08/2017 14:50

Literally LOADS of webs have appeared around my garden with menacing looking spidees in them! I'm frightened to walk round have to check I'm not walking into their webs - has anyone else noticed this in their garden this week?

OP posts:
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7
BeyondLimitsAndWhatever · 27/08/2017 08:53

Bert (my bedroom cellar spider) has caught and eaten the harvestman who was wandering around my ceiling last night...

AnnabelleLecter · 27/08/2017 09:03

We have a Tarantula in the bath. I slushed it down the plughole and put the plug in. It was back last night.
How?
I don't usually mind spiders, but this one is massive. I've done my bit next person can try.and they're all wimpier than me.

GladAllOver · 27/08/2017 09:30

Feel free to follow my methods of house spider extermination :
Place about 10 heavy books on top of spider or cover with a bowl.
Only lift books or bowl off after you are certain they are dead. I lifted them off too early once (about 12 hours later) and it was still alive. I now leave them in place for about 3 weeks to be sure.

And that's clever is it?

Alternatively you could have left the harmless creature to do its job of clearing your house of the flies, silverfish and other insects that you really don't need.

GladAllOver · 27/08/2017 09:34

We have a Tarantula in the bath. I slushed it down the plughole and put the plug in. It was back last night.
How?
Very likely it was not the same spider that you killed, but another one that had also got trapped in the bath.
If you don't want them there, leave some toilet paper down the inside of the bath so they can climb out.

WhatALoadOfOldBollocks · 27/08/2017 09:42

Had an large house spider keeping me company in my lounge last night. He (and I'm assuming it was a he as the females have slightly shorter legs and larger bodies that males I think) did 3 laps of the room and each time ran across the rug towards my feet so he could get under the sofa again. He was more entertaining than the DVD I was watching!

And for the minority of people who are genuinely spider phobic, rather than those who think it's fun to scream and shout when they see one, there are successful treatments available
^ this. I think there are a lot of people who are not actually phobic in the true sense, but for some reason like to play up to a certain "woman scared of spiders so going to flap and scream and demand its disposed" stereotype. Whenever I read posts on here with "burn the house down" I Hmm Great to see the spider love and tolerance on this threadSmile

Love your story about the flying ants Wauden. It's a shame so many people don't appreciate nature more and just see insects as a nuisance or things to be feared and killed. Not interracted with flying ants, but I'm a bit of a fly wrangler and have noticed that when they're buzzing around the room frantically it's as though they're trying to find a way out. If you close the door and open the window, pretty much every time they fly straight out in seconds. No swatting or fly spray needed.

WhatALoadOfOldBollocks · 27/08/2017 09:43

I live in the midlands and cant find a zoo course nearby
Dudley Zoo used to do spider courses but no longer unfortunately, but when I emailed them a couple of months ago they said they offer insect experience days and if I wanted more spider action they'd do that. Might also be worth contacting your local arachnid society as they might know of places that run arachnophobia course.

ISaySteadyOn · 27/08/2017 10:00

FallingOrbit, DH and I read that male spiders have their genitalia on the front of their head, that is they have face bollocks. Is this true?

LuluJakey1 · 27/08/2017 10:14

I can cope with them if they are not huge and in the bedroom. Usually we just leave them alone - unless they are huge and in the bedroom when we catch them in a glass nad put them out of the window. Am now re-thinking this if they die outside.
A couple of summers ago as I went up to bed the biggest spider I had ever seen ran at me out of our bedroom door. I screamed and as it ran on the landing I jumped over it and ran into the bedroom and shut the door. DH had seen it from the bed and he was as scared as me. It was huge and hairy and black/brown. I thought the cat had grabbed it but could not be sure. We stuffed towels into the gap at the bottom of the door so it could not get back into the bedroom during the night - and for about a fortnight afterwards.
Earlier this summer there were two giants living in our shed. Bigger than the bedroom one. We left them alone. They just sat in full view on the shed walls. Can't find them now but I am VERY cautious in the shed- lots of places to hide.

FallingOrbit · 27/08/2017 10:21

Face bollocks?! Ha!

The things you see on the heads of larger spiders are called palps. A bit like antennae, they are used to sense the environment around them, temperature etc. I'm not aware that they are part of the reproductive system but I could be wrong! I'll look it up!

I'm not a zoologist, so I'm not hugely familiar with their anatomy, I just have an interest in them in general and like identifying species and knowing what they get up to etc.

GladAllOver · 27/08/2017 10:25

DH and I read that male spiders have their genitalia on the front of their head, that is they have face bollocks. Is this true?

Not exactly. The genitalia that produces the sperm are under the body. But in order to apply it to the female they have little round lumps on the end of the pedipalps - the projections under the head that look like antennae. When they are mating they use the pedipalps to collect the sperm from the genitals and apply it to the appropriate place on the female.

GladAllOver · 27/08/2017 10:31

Just to add to that, only fully adult spiders have those extra projections, after they have shed their skin for the last time. They then have just one thing on their mind, which is to mate, because they don't have much longer to live.

GladAllOver · 27/08/2017 10:35

Some male spiders actually have an extra pair of hooks, which they use to engage the female's fangs so that she can't use them on him while he does the business.

ISaySteadyOn · 27/08/2017 10:38

Fascinating! Thank you for the info. Am starting to actually really like spiders. Can't touch one yet though.

LuluJakey1 · 27/08/2017 10:40

What about these funnel spiders that were in the news last year? Are they dangerous?

LuluJakey1 · 27/08/2017 10:47

Or was it tube web spiders?

flapjackfairy · 27/08/2017 10:51

Whataload thanks for that info re spider courses. Good idea. I will try both suggestions. I am determined to beat this for good !

FallingOrbit · 27/08/2017 11:03

I am determined to beat this for good

That's the spirit! Fear is learned, and can therefore be overcome.

GladAllOver · 27/08/2017 11:31

What about these funnel spiders that were in the news last year? Are they dangerous?
They will be segestrids - funnel or tube web spiders. I don't recall them being in the news, but the UK species are harmless - unless you are an insect.
If you look into the gaps in any old stone wall you will see their webs but they are usually out of sight. You may be able to tease one out by touching the web with a blade of grass, but they are very clever in recognising the struggle of a moth or fly.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 27/08/2017 14:43

I don't mind spiders as much as daddy long legs - and it's nearly daddy long legs season - beastly things come and flutter around bedside light while I'm trying to read at night. Hate having to shut windows to keep the loathsome things out.

myusernameisnotmyusername · 27/08/2017 14:49

Found a dead giant house spider earlier. Maybe the cat got it. It was a beast!

SouthernNorthernGirl · 27/08/2017 15:17

I wish I had never opened this thread! I have been terrified ever since. I actually can't stop thinking about them falling on me, and mistakenly thought I would be safe running away if I saw one
Sad

I keep coming on though, to see if anyone has found a clever idea I could use!

FallingOrbit · 27/08/2017 16:12

It's fairly uncommon for them to fall on you, it can happen if they lose traction but it's not a regular occurrence in my experience.

There's nothing to worry about with them, there's nothing in it for them to be walking on you etc, they're just trying to go about their business :)

lotsofconfuse · 27/08/2017 18:31

If they bother you citrus is a natural deterrent. Just mix some fresh lemon juice with water in a spray bottle and spray around your garden.

tapdancingmum · 27/08/2017 21:23

I haven't had any yet and am Sad as I have one bastarding fly that will not go outside for love nor money..... Just need a house spider to come and do it's business Grin

BeyondLimitsAndWhatever · 28/08/2017 10:50

I drank a lot of mojitos yesterday, but that hasn't scared Bert off Grin

I went away for a bit last week - leaving a few windows open - and returned to a house full of stripey garden spiders (quick google - common orb weaver). So it's a bit of a fib that if you find it inside and take it out then you're removing it from its natural habitat

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