*Warning- contains picture of spider* To be frozen in fear and awe all at the same time!!

[BecauseICan22]

I was folding laundry in my bedroom and this chap fell out, across my wrist and onto the floor.

I'm thinking of ways to catch it safely without hurting its legs. Normally I'd put it in my hands and out the window. Not happening this time!

Does anyone know what type of spider this is?

And did I say, HELP!!!!

Looks like a smaller male Giant House Spider.

Name: Eratigena atrica
Appearance: The giant house spider is between 12 – 18mm in length, with the females being bigger. Generally dark brown in colour with earthy tones of light brown and yellow or muddy red. What stands out is their hairy abdomen, palps and legs.
Life Span: The average life of the male spider was 33.9 days and 116.5 days for the female. (Because the female kills the male after sex and his body is used to feed the baby spiders when they hatch).
Habitat: Originally from north western Europe, this spider used to live mostly in caves or under rocks in dry forests, but today is a common spider in people’s households.(Brought to us by those bloody Romans and their suspended floors with under floor heating- perfect for cave spiders to move in to. When the Romans sodded off, the spiders stayed)
Danger Level: Harmless to humans or pets, furthermore this spider would rather escape than head on to battle. (Yes they’re big softies.)

I think that’s what it is too. I’ve found one in my greenhouse and one on the outside of my office window. None in the house yet, but I’m sure it’s a matter of time

House spider, there's a chance it will die if you put it outside unless it's warm

It's a mature male ghs. No danger to anyone. He's just looking for a lady of his species.

Oh lord, that made me laugh! If I ever see a spider as big as that (Shelob? Aragog?) I'd be running as fast as I could the other way! And I like spiders.

We get these too, they come in upstairs through the loft hatch and DH Is phobic so I have to take them outside!

Fuck that!!nope nope nope!!
time to get out the shark or do what I do stand on the couch shrieking while the husband deals with it! But I defo wouldn't let it leave alive!🙈🫢

Currently have one of them in my garage... harmless... look scarier than they actually are.

Do the females eat the males when they've mated ? If so he needs to steer clear of the femme fatales in the house .....(and aren't they even bigger?)

What a beaut! We’ve had a few that size. They get rehomed to the loft. They are too big to hang out with, but DH doesn’t want to upset them by putting them outside, so he puts them in the loft.

Ooh yeah, why on earth do they like to jump out from a pile of clothes? DH always dumps the ironing pile on my bedroom chair and sometimes it gets too big and falls off. The number of times a spider has crawled out of it.....I thought they went for pests, so why on earth do they like to sit in washing/ironing?!

Sometimes if he isn't quick enough to get away after the deed is done. Or during if he can't hold her fangs away with his legs.

I had one similar to that in the kids rooms, lucky they are away.
Sadly i did try and hoover it up but was too scared.
i sprayed lots of spider spray and havent been in the room since.

Not sure why im so scared. while im reading this thread ive jumped a couple of time. Thought i saw something out the corner of me eye!

I've just chased one like that out of our back door! May not have been as big as yours, but certainly its legs would have spanned my hand (not that I would have let it near my hand).

I keep a transparent plastic pot with a lid, though it's sometimes easier to usher spiders into the pot with a large piece of card. If it's really big, I throw the whole pot out into the garden and shut the door fast!

Oh, I had one of these a couple of days ago on the curtains. Was tempted to pop photo on fb but figured several folk would never speak to me again.But since this is a spider thread with a tw... removed him to the lawn.

DH is away this weekend and I don't want to set a panicked example to the DC's.
It's great that you recognise this - my Mum is terrified of them and when I was little I apparently used to pick up big spiders and show her, not realising, but her reaction rubbed off and then I was terrified too! (gradually getting myself out of it now though!)

I've now got son on boris in the bedroom . I watched boris wander round the walls in the corners for weeks - then he suddenly fell of his perch and I found him dead in the corner which was mildly upsetting since he's been my roomie for weeks . Now I have a smaller version of boris doing the same . He's welcome . He doesn't do much . He wanders from corner to corner .
I really don't like those cellar spiders but I don't have them here ....lots of boris -es...found a few big house spiders. And a grasshopper I saved from a curious terrier .

Just as well, I once had one in my boxers.

We used get loads in our house but I’ve found using Indorex the last few years has been a lifesaver for me. I hate spiders and we haven’t had one live one since using it, I find dead ones but they’re easily hoovered up. Frankly, I don’t give a fuck if people find it cruel. I was bitten by a spider a few years ago and spent 2 weeks in hospital on drips and antibiotics eventually needing surgery to remove the skin around the bite. I don’t take any chances these days, and before anyone asks I don’t live in the tropics I live in Scotland.

No joke I had one today too. I’ve been doing so well with spiders, I used to be terrified. Now can catch and release as long as they aren’t above my head 🤣 I wait till they come down. Today I had to call my dad to come round I was totally freaked out but stayed calm for my DD as I don’t want to pass on my fear! This is it released in the grass far far far from my house I don’t want it back 😳

Hmmm so many reporting them. Its two weeks earlier than usual for spider mating season. This could signal a harsh winter. Which is not good news.

Anyone seen pigs gathering sticks? That is another sign. I will have to ask my beekeeper friend as well how the hives are because the bees usually know what sort of winter is coming too.

I agree we are in for a harsh winter. Such a bad year for it with the way things are going with fuel. I hate this time of year for this though, I know that won’t be the last one 🙈

I’ve never heard of pigs gathering sticks or the bee reference. My dd school have a bee hive wonder if the bee keeper will talk to them about that with the change in seasons approaching.

Funny you should mention signs of a harsh winter, my dad always said if rowans are red in July to expect a bad winter. I noticed they were very red a few weeks ago and commented to an elderly farmer friend about them, he said the same.

I do wish people would stop with the "But why are you frightened of them? They're harmless!" It's very irritating.

Yes, we know they’re harmless, thanks. It's a phobia. We know it's irrational. That doesn't help. I mean... there are people with phobias about buttons fgs. Nobody's claiming phobias are rational!

She's a big old girl isn't she!

She's been getting so big as she's been eating all the flies and moths and aphids in your house.

So don't hate her.