spiders are on steroids this year

[JackieWeaverHandforthCouncil]

Went to the loo and turned the light on to see the biggest spider I’ve ever seen in the wild in the U.K. sitting on the toilet sit lid. I yelped ‘Jesus Christ!’ and woke up DH who wasn’t amused.

He went in there to look and also admitted if was massive. He’s Australian for context so he knows a big spider when he sees one.

AIBU to think that with all the rain and tepid weather this year that this spider season is going to be the most horrific ever? I’ve closed all of the windows, am not taking any chances.

@Gumbo

There was something on the BBC the other day about how the UK house spiders are related to ones that live in hot areas, so they only like warm dry places (ie. our houses)... and that they won't live outside, and the only reason they are outside in the 1st place is because someone else has evicted them! In other words, if people stop chucking them outside but squish the buggers instead there'll be less of them looking for a nice warm home

Just saying...

Also, apparently garden spiders don't like being indoors, and the only reason you might find them inside is because they got lost and they actually want to be back outside.

Yep I read that article as well, I had heard they just make their way back in to the house of you chuck them just outside the door so I make my DH go to the end of the garden and throw them over the fence so they're nearer the back-door-neighbour's house

We've had some big ones inside the house. But there is an enormous one in the garage 😩. Makes me feel sick. The one o got in Dds room I could actually feel when I captured it in a glass...shudder. I might try the zoflora trick, thanks as long as it doesn't attract flies?

We’ve been feeding ours to the cat this year. If you point him at them (and if they’re not too high up) he’ll swat them and eat them, the dirty little bugger. I’ve now taken to batting ceiling based spiders down to the floor with an old paper so he can finish them off.

@Ijustknowitstimetogo

why do they have to come inside to mate?

It’s warm? House Spider and Giant House Spider…so I suppose that’s just their thing?

Mating’s the game, human abode’s the name.

They don't. They are already in your house. The female comes to find all the males or the males run around looking for the female. Not sure which way round it is. A few years ago I used to live in a house with a 'lean-to' and there were some right creepy big bastards in there. Every night for about a month there'd be a huge one in my bedroom. DP bought me a spider catcher in the end.

I moved to the country side this year. lived in a flat for 3 blissful spiderfree years and now already had atleast 4 massive ones here :( the other night one came out and it was the biggest I've ever seen. They don't just crawl about all innocent, they scuttle like evil fuckers. DP actually felt and heard it go up the shark! (He normally puts them outside but this one hid under a coffee table)

Mind you, the spiders do eat flies which has to be a good thing.
I just leave them alone; they haven't done us any harm.

@stairway

We had a massive one in the paddling pool a few days ago, it had a huge red abdomen. Anyway it must have been in the pool overnight it was all crumpled and looked dead. I tried fishing it out and it came back to life. I did not know spiders could spend hours in the water and survive.

In Eastern Europe they have spiders that swim... Went kayaking and the bastards were climbing in 😱😱😱😱 queue much freaking out and capsizing.

@PumpkinsGalore

I'm absolutely PETRIFIED of them and I'm the only adult in the house

I wonder if they get spiders on the higher floors in tower blocks 🤔

I live on the 8th floor and we don't get anywhere near the number we had in our 100 year old house and garden.

But I did turn around to wash my hair in the shower to find an enormous one in the corner of the shower looking lovely and black against the white tiles.

He ended up flushed. I always feel a bit bad but I was not going to carry him downstairs in the elevator to let him go.

@Gumbo

There was something on the BBC the other day about how the UK house spiders are related to ones that live in hot areas, so they only like warm dry places (ie. our houses)... and that they won't live outside, and the only reason they are outside in the 1st place is because someone else has evicted them! In other words, if people stop chucking them outside but squish the buggers instead there'll be less of them looking for a nice warm home

Just saying...

Also, apparently garden spiders don't like being indoors, and the only reason you might find them inside is because they got lost and they actually want to be back outside.

Yeah, if you put them outside, they go running back towards the house.

I’m normally not bothered by spiders but we had one the other week which looked like it had proper big kneecaps it was that big.

@SallyOMalley

A friend of mine was telling me that their resident spider gave birth last week. She had a sort of pouch of babies which burst and they all ran out in different directions.

She thinks it's fascinating. I'd bloody move out.

I'd burn the house down 😭 hate them!! Shouldn't have opened this thread 😂 I'm now checking my toddlers room every 5 mins even though the window in his room has been shut all day 😭

I has a big bastard spider crawl out of the washing machine just as I was about to put something in it yesterday. I was not stoic, I screamed so loud that DH said he thought we were off to a&e.

What always interests me about the whole they go back in the house malarkey is where did they live before houses were invented? Are they cave spiders originally? Would they be ok in a rockery? Or shed? Don’t want to be mean, but…

We moved into this house nearly three years ago and have only ever seen two. We have gardens front and back but no carpets. All laminate floors or tiles. Don’t know if that’s the reason but long may it continue. Hate the buggers.

See I can understand people not liking spiders but I really can't understand people squashing them or hoovering them up it's really cruel

In my old house, the gasman checked the meter and a big bastard one must've been living in there, because later on that evening it was in the middle of the staircase just looking at me.. Sad to say, it ended up in the Dyson.. No way was I touching that..

Too right they are! We live in a city but have trees touching 3 sides of the house and this years visitors are enormous. My mum just moved to a flat about 250 metres away, it’s completely surrounded by concrete and pretty noisy but there isn’t a spider in sight and I envy her.

I have no fear of them what so ever. Never have had. My mum just used to calmly scoop them up in a cup and put them outside, l do the same.
My son has five tarrantulas, and if one escaped l wouldn't lose sleep, they are shy creatures, not the slightest bit interested in humans.

I had to get a bigger glass

Spiders don't bother me, but the season for rescuing family/ arachnids came early this year. I think the dull August confused their body clocks.

@undecided2022 seriously this made me cry with laughter.

I have a spider hoover best gadget ever!

@Somanysocks

I had to get a bigger glass

God, that fella's been spending time at the gym!

Do you all leave your windows open ? I have Window nets stuck on mine there’s no way I’d leave them open without the nets. In the last three weeks I have seen 2 big spiders so don’t know how they got in. I’m going to peppermint spray everywhere and put conkers out. I’m terrified and scared to walk around the house at night it’s pathetic 😭😭

There's three spider 🕷️ busy tonight on our path between wall and fence. Picked up DS from his job he is a lot taller than me and walked into all three ugh..

I read in the news that the massive spiders are 'sex crazed spiders'!

I have visions of them humping the sofa.

Our bastard cat is useless for spider elimination. Has a bit of a prod and gets bored if it doesn't move and wanders off. But I guess they'd only make her puke if she ate them.