To be scared about the spider season this year

[Whatever555]

Had a bad time last August-October. I lived alone back then in a very old house which was riddled with giant house spiders, on the worst night I had 4 palm-sized ones in the house in the same evening, they'd just run out across the room. It was horrible coming home and seeing them every single evening and having nobody to help me out.

I ended up paying someone
from pest control to come round and fumigate the house, they found a nest in my kitchen. It worked for the rest of the season as I didn't see any more living ones. I also went around with sealant and eliminated every gap I could find. I didn't see a single one again for 6 weeks after that before I moved, but it made me anxious for a while. It sounds dramatic but I had frequent nightmares, I hated being there alone especially at night and I was constantly inspecting rooms.

No longer live alone and not had any huge ones here, just a couple of smaller ones which I can manage better. I've got some Indorex which I spray round every month, I have looked into the London zoo spider course but it's always booked up.

I've used apps to try and improve things but I don't think it'll ever fully go. Even if I can get spider catchers or whatever your home is meant to be your safe haven, and it doesn't feel like that when they're around. Anyone else feel this way, or got any tips?

This!

@NoCommentingFromNowOnI have a spray bottle with peppermint oil and water. I spray often! Insects hate the smell of peppermint. I can only do bedrooms though as it makes the cat ill. She is old and doesn't go upstairs anymore.

@Whatever555 * an area where they were congregating " absolute bastards 😲

As I said we're not here to berate people for having phobias and making rude remarks, majority of us on this thread are in agreement, if you don't like it this is not the thread for you.

My personal opinion is that if you consume animal products and consume vegetables produced through conventional farming, you have no business commenting on people who kill spiders.

Have you seen what pesticides people use to cultivate crops? Also, one's kitchen isn't supposed to support any ecosystem at all. I'm quite happy with aiming for lifeless desert anywhere I prepare food, thanks!

It's also the fact that they will happily kill ants, flies, mosquitos, wasps and so on, anything they deem as 'useless' to the ecosystem.

I used to live in a ‘spider house’ too. It was a converted garage and during spider season, there would be at least 1 or 2 monsters every day. I don’t even know how I stuck it out for as long as I did!

Our house now is much better but come end of July I spray ‘pest shield’ spider spray on skirting boards and around windows etc. It really works - it’s quite rare for me to see one.

Depends where you live, in the uk it’s ridiculous they don’t hurt you, if in Australia, I’d be chasing them out

Peppermint oil in a spray bottle mixed with water will help. Spray it round the doors, windows, corners, all over the bathroom.

YANBU I despise those giant spiders. I go into panic mode whenever I see a single one. What’s worse is my partner trying to push me to get over my phobia :( Doesn’t matter if they technically don’t hurt you as they are terrifying to look at.

I get a lot of spiders. There are loads in my garden so inevitably some get into the home. I would never kill them, that is so cruel. I catch them and put them outside. Honestly I'd rather spiders than flys. I was grateful for one once that trapped a fly that was really annoying me and wouldn't get out of the window. I let that one stay. I heard peppermint spray on the windows helps

I'm not scared of spiders and even cohabit with false widows most of the time (I've even been bitten by one a few times when it managed to crawl into my leggings) but I do lose my mind in summer with all the flies that fly into my house so I do sympathise. Not sure what the answer is for you, hypnosis to try and lower your fear perhaps? I also keep a plastic tub and bit of card to remove bugs that go where they ought not to, even handy for wasps I find!

Use a spider vacuum , they gently suck it up, and you release it outside
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Katcha-Battery-Operated-Vacuum-Catcher/dp/B00FGOYI94/ref=asc_df_B00FGOYI94?mcid=ae81a344aa4e32f9a494ad7ecab77b91&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697244770528&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15689793002839943112&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9213543&hvtargid=pla-782518084200&psc=1&hvocijid=15689793002839943112-B00FGOYI94-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1

Everyone watch out for the false widow special cradle /hammock webs. They are prolific and invasive and leave a nasty bite. Even the baby spiders can make huge webs. I saw a teeny tiny one take out a massive fly no problem and there are rumours they can take bats out

I’ve never killed a spider, unless chucking them out of the bathroom window kills them. I also don’t eat meat or fish, no leather coats or handbags or purses, I don’t have a pet so don’t buy tinned cat/dog food, I don’t use fly spray, and if someone here uses some random spray because they’re scared of spiders, then I’m fine with that. Even if nine people on this thread want to use sprays then between the ten of us we are still killing fewer animals than most brits.

I drink coffee which has god knows what insects in it. Most people do.

And yes, a fear of spiders is irrational. Everyone has an irrational fear of something and most people have unconsciously arrange their lives to deal with that, whether it’s live in a city so they don’t have to drive, or take a job that will never involve public speaking or whatever. It’s a really really common fear to have.

I am not scared of spiders, and I do not squash bugs I find. However, when we had an infestation of ants a few years ago I used a product called Deathlac on the window sill and around the window frame inside and out. This was about 5 years ago and I still find dead flies and beatles on the sill. It's like indorex but I can only assume x100 in strength! I imagine that speaks around the skirting boards etc would really help keep the spiders at bay.

Eta: I did know someone who had a phobia of spiders so although I'm fine with them I absolutely get how bad it can be. I'm scared of worms which is ridiculous!

I 100% believe you. Live in a flat that is next to a big park Well maintained garden but the spiders are massive. As big as my palm (not including fingers). I've had huge anxiety about them. Walking into bathroom at night to find massive ones running around. Having them be quite aggressive too. Coming towards us rather than running away. Henry hoover is a life saver, hoovering every few days minimum. And if it's a big one I hoover up a handful of salt too to make sure it doesn't come back out. I also change the bags outside.

I have a different irrational phobia of something probably harmless. So I don’t know why we end up with them but it’s definitely a case of “the wand chooses the wizard” or rather, “the phobia chooses the sufferer”. I would not begrudge anyone a spot of sympathy over a giant thing they’re scared of. Ignore the arseholes.
Imagine how oblivious you’d have to be to live under the delusion that you go through life harming nothing in the ecosystem and attacking others for doing normal pest control.

I cultivate the cellar spiders. I can cope with them and they eat the chunky bastards. My DH can’t believe I’m so protective over the cellar spiders, we’ve got loads of them but they’re my wonderful Pretorian guard.

Peppermint is not scientifically proven, to my knowledge, and from my own anecdotal experience a) I regularly use peppermint oil in diffusers and have pet tarantulas and they don’t care, and b) I currently have a house spider web in my herb planter stretched across the mint so she doesn’t care either! My gran swore by conkers at the windows to keep them away but that’s equally untrue.
The only solution to prevent them is pesticides but that is cruel and indiscriminate.

Exposure is the best solution. I used to be terrified of spiders…couldn’t be in the room with one. I started watching videos about spiders, then about people who keep them as pets, then I got my first tarantula baby and while I was still a bit scared of them at that point, I continued to learn how misunderstood they are. The house spider running across your floor is absolutely terrified of you. They won’t chase you - they can’t see well enough to chase you even if they wanted to! They’re actually hard to pick up cause they’re scared of us - they are very reluctant to touch us.

And we have no dangerous spiders here in the UK. Pictures of bites going manky are skin infections. Scaremongering gives the shitty news outlets something to post.

Get some hypnotherapy for your phobia. Spiders are perfectly fine and important creatures. Please stop killing them!

Hang on a minute, I completely agree with you, especially since those sprays kill a lot more than just spiders, but your remark at the end there is very unhelpful and it’s not how you win people over. People with phobias understand very well that their fears are irrational. Poison isn’t the answer but neither is making people defensive.

Yes to cellar spiders! They are the strange, fine-legged ones but they attack and eat other spiders, including massive house spiders, I've watched them in action!

@BloodandGlitter
I don't spray the spiders (or ants or bugs) but spraying it across the inner window ledge or door frame every spring creates a barrier they won't cross. Similar to you finding a shut door.

Your experience would have freaked me out, and would definitely have led to me having bad dreams too. I hope this year is much better for you!