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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how to get rid of house spiders?

156 replies

Davincisvault · 11/08/2020 11:44

I mean the massive ones that come in from now til end of Oct/ Nov.

Honestly the fear is quite honestly taking over my life Sad I’ll probably have to seek some sort of hypnotherapy but has anyone successfully managed to rid their house of them? I know people say about those plug in things but then often other people say they’re useless.

I have been using Indorex the last couple of years. Last Year I thought I’d conquered them as I only saw 1! Moved house since then and sprayed the whole house, window sills etc about a week ago but since then have seen 3. I just want something that works!

OP posts:
FineWordsForAPorcupine · 12/08/2020 10:55

The goal of "not showing your kids you're scared" is noble but very difficult - I am scared of spiders because my mother is as well. As a child she never "showed" her fear, always got a glass and took them outside calmly, etc. But children are very tuned in to the emotions of adults, and my brother and I both picked up on it anyway. Her split second first response was always alarm/shock, which is impossible to control.

My father is terrified of rats and snakes, but luckily he wasn't around enough to rub that off on us. If he had been, I expect I'd be scared of them too (rather than actively loving both species).

InTheCludgie · 12/08/2020 10:55

Agree that cats are useful in this situation. My big tom cat will chase anything that moves pretty much, he has caught some flies and smaller spiders so far. I don't think he will be too fazed by the big monsters we get in the autumn either - had none last year for some reason so yet to test this theory!

EvilPea · 12/08/2020 11:02

The ones that run across the floor are generally boys. You can see they have pedipals (like boxing gloves) to help them hold on to the females and transfer sperm.

When they find a female (the ones sitting in the web) they generally have to take her a gift of food so they don’t get eaten before mating! So it’s a little like your partner coming home with a fancy takeaway to get a shag. They are brave brave spiders taking their life in the hands for a shag.

CoraPirbright · 12/08/2020 11:04

That’s interesting SockMonster. Careful anyone clicking on that link btw as there’s a tarantula pic at the top Grin

I hate the big house spiders and I think its the way they just suddenly appear - rather a nasty shock. Also they look so grim but I really don’t mind the cellar spiders and will leave them alone. They never seem to be in the right place to deal with the house monsters though - no good lurking in the loo when the house ones are barrelling down the hallway looking for girlfriends!

One thing I do think is common though, and I would be interested to know if anyone agreed is that people seem to be frightened of spiders or snakes but rarely both. I loathe spiders but find snakes perfectly fine, couldn't be less bothered and find lizards absolutely charming!

GreyishDays · 12/08/2020 11:05

@2ruddyhot

Don’t, they get rid of flies and other pests. Would you rather have a pile of other creepy crawlers??
The autumn ones are just mooching around to mate. They can sod off back to where they normally live.
Redraptor · 12/08/2020 11:59

My mum wasn't afraid of spiders but she remembers my first encounter and I was terrified, she tried so hard to calm me and show me there was nothing to be scared of but it didnt work. My dds love looking at them on the floor but once they move they run terrified

GroupSects · 12/08/2020 12:09

I keep a pet old lady, she’s fantastic at eating them and she also takes care of the flies too.
I do have to keep the dogs away from her though incase she bloody gobbles them up.

Somethingsnappy · 12/08/2020 18:27

I have a mild phobia of spiders. I can deal with them, just about, but it causes my blood pressure to rise. My children however, love them. They bring them to show me and wave them in front of my face or hold them over my lap. I have to pretend to be pleased and say 'ooh, lovely sweetie. Can you pop her outside now?' Shock

WiddlinDiddlin · 12/08/2020 18:35

You can't... I mean, live in a desert maybe, sandy, icy take your pick..

But as someone else said up thread, most of the spiders you see were born and bred in your house.

They eat flies, wasps, mosquitos, woodlice, silverfish... tons of stuff.

A good first step to getting rid of a fear or phobia is to learn about the thing you are scared of. The more you know, the less of a shock they are, the more you understand their behaviour, why they do what they do, the more predictable they become and the less scary they are.

My fear was getting them in my hair and squashing them, but by learning about them, and also trying to identify as many species as I could without specifically going looking (ie, what i saw in my house in the normal day to day life), I have got to the point where I can handle some spiders (I can pick up a false widow, I wouldn't pick up a house spider, but I can move them with a card and glass), and I no longer jump in surprise even if I find one in the bed!

zafferana · 12/08/2020 18:44

I'm afraid I drop a large book on them! I went through a phase of catching them and putting them outside and the bastards just kept coming back, so now I squash them and it really does reduce the number over time.

Around here spider season has already started. I've killed five this past week - three last night alone and we live in a modern house that doesn't back onto fields. Only one was a house/harvest spider though and it was massive shudder

Wearingpinkpjs · 12/08/2020 18:47

Google London Zoo Friendly Spider programme.
I did it and it was life changing! Don't even see them any more, no fear = no longer constantly looking for them.

jellybaby1 · 12/08/2020 19:00

I try to ignore all spiders,knowing that they hide mostly,but we do have a cellar spider nest on the ceiling that is a bit unnerving Grin

DerbyshireGirly · 12/08/2020 19:06

I vacuum them up and I can't even feel sorry for it. That's my privilege as an apex predator. They'd have me if they could.

GrumpiestOldWoman · 12/08/2020 19:12

They def eat other creepy crawlies. I had a big black beetle wandering up our hall and i was trying to coral it to move it outside. When it got to the bottom of the stairs a huge spider shot out from a tiny space, grabbed it, and dragged it back under the stairs.

GladAllOver · 12/08/2020 21:24

*I vacuum them up and I can't even feel sorry for it. That's my privilege as an apex predator. They'd have me if they could."
Sorry but that's no excuse for killing harmless innocent creatures.

DustbinTimberlake · 12/08/2020 21:30

We had a cat that would bring them IN to eat! Total jerk Grin

We had a huge one in a holiday cottage last week. Lurking round our bags on the floor - hadn’t expected to see one so big inside so soon, so I’m on red alert now.

Snorkelface · 12/08/2020 21:36

Diatomaceous Earth (Food Grade - v.important) - you can get it on Amazon - will get rid of everything, non-toxic for humans and pets. Looks like pale dust, just brush round doors, windows, skirting etc with a dry paint brush, ideally leave for a couple of weeks and then hoover up - or just leave it there. Used to have massive spiders and ant invasions here, nothing for three years now. It kills rather than deters but prevents infestation. I'm not big on killing things but I was bitten by a large spider in the house while asleep (it was still on the bed, saw it, massive, took weeks for the bite to heal) so it's war.

dun1urkin · 12/08/2020 21:51

Hmm, seems there’s no magic cure to get them to stay away then

But, but there is... cats!

Ours play with them. And eventually eat them. It’s pretty brutal to be honest.

Moths on the other hand get pinned with a paw and snapped up straight away.

And my childhood dog used to do flies and spiders. Good girl!!!!

wizzbangfizz · 12/08/2020 22:03

Diatomaceous Earth you say? For 6.50 I will give this a go! The flea bombs help but I think this and the flea bombs could be a winner.

Sally2791 · 12/08/2020 22:05

Conkers deter them

Frazzled13 · 12/08/2020 22:06

I just found one of the biggest ones I've ever seen in the bathroom. That's our fourth big one in three days!
It feels quite early for spider season, am I misremembering or is there a reason they're out early this year?

Tighe · 12/08/2020 22:14

The spindly ones definitely eat the fat ones I’ve seen it. Plus we’ve had less big ones since leaving the spindly ones. Unfortunately we are now over run with spindly ones. I mean literally they are everywhere so I do need to start reducing their numbers!

EvilPea · 12/08/2020 22:16

Yes the cellar spiders (clear leggy ones) are ferocious carnivores and will devour the normal house / wolf spiders.

The zebra jumping spiders are very cute, and very inquisitive

EvilPea · 12/08/2020 22:17

@Frazzled13

I just found one of the biggest ones I've ever seen in the bathroom. That's our fourth big one in three days! It feels quite early for spider season, am I misremembering or is there a reason they're out early this year?
The leaves were turning at the end of July so I think we are going to have an early autumn.
DustbinTimberlake · 12/08/2020 22:19

We’ve just had a massive one on the stairs! DH has walked it some distance away at arms length in a jug and shaken it out in some bushes