How do I get my new 'friend'out of my house

[SummerClean]

I was chilling with baby when I heard a big commotion in the dining room blinds, I thought a bird or cat was stuck in there, but it's a huge dragonfly! Honestly the pic doesn't do it justice, it's massive.

How do I get this out bearing in mind my fear of insects, my legs have gone like jelly. I can't get too close, it was flying so erratically earlier I'm worried it's going to land on my head or get caught in my hair or something!

Hit it with hairspray or body spray to stun it. Then either dustpan and brush & out the window or hoover it up as last resort.
Boyfriend suggests sending his seventy year old mother over: she grew up in Barbados and hunted ...

Trigger Warning

fourteen inch long centipedes

Safe Now

As a pre-teen tomboy in the 1960's .

That woman is scared of no wildlife.
^^

NC because outing ...

if you have a true fear of insects then invest in one of these
www.amazon.co.uk/Sourcing4U-Executioner-Mosquito-Swatter-Zapper/dp/B000MU2MJA

Leave and set the house on fire

Sorry @KimWexlersPonyTail it only occurred to me later I should have put a warning for that picture

😂

I can't get over the size of it!!! I'd be scared too. Take more pics if you can tho 😂 fascinating. But also. Nope.

My trick for removing bees and wasps is to gently approach it with a cushion, gently touch it and then guide it out using the cushion. Works with stingy things so hopefully it will work with a dragonfly. I absolutely love dragonflies so if it was in my house I would just scoop him up 🤣

Jesus. Fucking. Christ. That is huge. I would have shut the door, packed a case and gone to stay at my mums for a few days!!

Just let him cool down for a bit and trap him in something with a lid. He's gorgeous. Please dont hurt him.

Which is why I didn't post pictures on my post.

Last last resort , throw balled up newspaper at it. One will eventually hit & it will be stunned. Make the big but light - wet them a bit perhaps - and they shouldn't damage anything in the house. Dragonflies are fragile, one good hit & no more buzzing. Then despise of it as you see fit.

I'd avoid hairspray flamethrower option as houses are flammable ... they're fine for wasps nests outside tho.

That looks like an Emperor dragonfly I once heard one eating it's lunch, they are beautiful beasts though

If you're near me I'd come and release it. But you're probably not living on a Scottish island.

If you live in the South East, be my guest!!!

Me too, I'd do it. NW London. Let me know

I love dragonflies! And we get a fair few in the kitchen.

Leave a window open and it'll find its way out. They use a huge amount of energy to fly so will only do so for a reason.

Empty waste paper baskets are your friends in situations like this. Use as you would a glass but can stay further away

As he's the size of a small bird (well, perhaps an eagle or a pelican or something) could you pretend that he is one?

Sorry OP, all my insect removing tactics would require you to get more up close and personal than I think you want to. I'd open the windows as wide as poss, pull up the blinds (so he might find his own way out) close and barricade the door, hide under the stairs and wait for DH.

Put some water down for him.

And some mashed up Triceratops.

Do not kill him/her - he/she/it is rare and beautiful. No stings or bites.

I'd open any windows or exterior doors in the room as wide as possible, then approach it with a broom, mop, or anything else with a long handle. You don't have to get as close that way. It might take a few tries to get it to find the exit. Otherwise, just leave the room and wait. They really won't do any harm, though.

That's not a dragonfly it's a bloody seagull.

Ooh, it’s beautiful, @SummerClean !

Can you use this guide to work out what kind he/she is? british-dragonflies.org.uk/odonata/species-and-identification/

And don’t worry about babies - dragonflies lay their eggs in streams!

PS if you’re in Kent I could maybe come admire help?

Phew that is good to know @LadyHermione ! I wonder if it's used the paddling pool though!!

@SummerClean
You'll know tomorrow if she's used the paddling pool when your house is full of her babies!

Well look on the plus size - you can say a happy goodbye to any mosquitos!
Interestingly modern dragonflies are far smaller than prehistoric ones, which were thought to have a wingspan of up to a couple of feet.