when is spider season over?

[thewooster]

I'm talking about the big, male house spiders we get indoors in the UK. I've just had another whooper after a few others this week. It's been the same since the last week in August.

I remember last year having loads early September but not late September.

When can I relax? And does anyone have any tips to stop them coming in or is that a stupid question. I've tried lemon spray, peppermint spray, conkers and those electrical wave zappers but they've not worked.

I've put a lot of conkers around my home and they seem to be working at the moment, touch wood. I am terrified of the damn things but living on my own have forced myself to get to the point where I can capture one in a glass and put in the garden.

I have a spider called Harry living in the porch. He (she) has been there all Summer. DP nearly disposed of him but l said no as he keeps the flies out (btw I don't actually like spiders) .Sorry to hear he might die now. I look for him every morning.

I rarely see big house spiders in my house November to July. Maybe on the odd occasion over the past 20 years. Aug and Sept the big ones haunt me and I sometimes see smaller ones in October.

I wish I was brave and could get close enough to put a glass over to move outside as I don't like killing anything but I freeze. Everyone tells me it's my mum's fault as she gave me the fear, she put the notion in my brain to be scared of spiders. But I've met people who are scared and their parents aren't. There seems to be more scared people than not.

Why can't they invent something with a proper guarantee to encase a whole house to stop spiders. I'd even pay a subscription to have it done each year - my DH says no we wouldn't pay but yes we would!

I wish I hadn’t of read this thread. Stuff of nightmares

The people who say 'just leave them, they won't hurt you' are just being unempathetic - this is a phobia, not something someone can just ignore. It's not rational, such is the nature of phobias, they are not rational.

So, being told that is not helpful. My ex thought he could make me less scared of spiders by just telling me they were fine and refusing to help me get rid of them. He's an ex for many reasons but that is one of them - twattish behaviour.

Conkers don't actually work, if you look closely at horse chestnut trees they often have spider webs in them. However, if they make you feel better and you think they work, that's good. Personally, at this time of year, I shake every item of clothing when I pick it up, peer in every corner as I walk round the house and am generally very aware that the buggers could jump out on me at any moment!

"Just leave them alone, they can't hurt you"

Try telling that to the elderly lady I was chatting to yesterday who once picked up the telephone only to be ambushed by one of the massive feckers, which bit her and drew blood!

Or the landlord of our local who was hospitalised with an infected leg, only to be told it had originated from a spider bite. (Yes, UK)

BRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Outtogetyou - I am exactly the same as you. I check every corner and one thing I really hate is the dark mornings, getting up and it's pitch black so the buggers are still active.

I have a theory that they will go away for good once the temperatures drop for good. I noticed in previous years they started to make big nets around end of August (to catch the last food?), then they get in until end of September and eventually, once the minimum temperatures drop they disappear. I am not sure why, I can only guess they make a nice home for themselves underground?

Get a cat as they seem to like to eat them. We ‘borrowed’ the neighbours cat after finding a few whoppers and she managed to find and kill 6 more that we hadn’t even noticed!

Spider spray is brilliant. Also cleaning dark corners and under beds etc. They like clutter and dust and crumbs

I've just bought some fancy spider catchers from amazon. Dd has severe phobia so I have to be on high alert for the season.

Yes...this thread!!!

I don't mind most spiders. Any that sit happily on their web or in the corner of the wall/ceiling are absolutely fine. In fact I have two "pet" cellar spiders in my bedroom at the moment. One proved most useful in the eating of a house spider....

I hate house spiders with a passion and this season drives me mad. The other night I woke up around half 2 as was a bit hot in bed. I never went back to sleep as when I switched the light on there was a big bugger on the wall above my bed who then fell off and behind my headboard.

Out of sight, out of mind. They can do what they like in my clutter, but the minute I see them, I have to know where they are and will scan ceilings, skirting etc until I find them and hoover them up. So sorry for all those who don't mind them.

My parents were never afraid so I don't know where the irrational fear has come from. It just gets worse year on year too.

I have weirdly held a tarantula at Longleat though. I think it's the speed and unpredictability of house spiders that gets me though.

I do think most spiders are amazing, and their webs are such a brilliant creation.... but house spiders please live in someone elses house where you are welcome

I swear the giant houses are getting faster as well. Might drug test the next one I catch

Last night my house was invaded by a swarm of small black flies. At one point there were 4 of the little fuckers drowning in my glass of wine! Please tell me there is a season for them too and we don't have an infestation. We do have plenty of spiders - they should be eating them!

I did this course 14 years ago - totally life changing to the extent that I can pick them up in my hands if I need to now and I used to be so bad I would hyperventilate

Please could everyone come and collect your allocation of spiders from my house ASAP.

I'll happily take donations of unwanted house spiders, hopefully they will solve my moth problem. Or I could come and collect them from you all? I'd rather live with 50 spiders per room than have to replace 20 odd cashmere jumpers again. Moths are evil, spiders are nice and eat the other bugs so I'd much rather make them comfy and give them a new home.

the number of spiders in your house will go down through September but they will get bigger.
In the end you will be left with one shelob.

The reason ? - they eat each other.

Then the last male mates with a female and she kills him and eats him.
guess what bit she saves till last