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?

YABU I cannot condone spider genocide!!

I put conkers in the corners of my rooms which seems to help.

There was a beefy one in our kitchen sink this morning - felt like I should have offered him a coffee.

I bought my peppermint spray off Amazon. I spray it round all the seals and entrances to doors and windows. It's horrible and every night I look up around the 4 walls of my bedroom before I turn the light off. I got a fantastic rechargeable spider catcher also from Amazon. It's a long see through tube and the first time I saw a big spider it took a lot of 'courage' to go up to it and suck it up in the tube. I get quite a few spiders and wouldn't be without this catcher now.

You are not being unreasonable. I have problems with wolf spiders - the big ones that don't make webs, they usually come in from outside if its raining and when they're looking for mates. Might be the same ones you're talking about. They run around mainly at floor level as they jump on other insects, but climb to hide/rest. I got bitten twice last summer and although the bites aren't poisonous I had a really bad reaction and ended up with painful cellulitis and weeks of antibiotics - they carry lots of bacteria. I kill every one I see immediately now with cockroach spray. I used the spray I have in for silverfish around all the windows and that really helped.

I always leave the house spiders alone, the one's that look like daddy long legs for some reason they don't bother me, infact they're useful as they will hunt out and kill other types of spider.

I do get the one's that frighten the life out of me so I bought a spider catcher, it has soft bristles on the end of a long handle that easily picks up the spider, which I dispose of outside.

Are you in the uk.?

Yes, London - there's a tiny park across from my block of flats and they come from there. Most of the neighbors keep their windows shut to keep them out but these flats get crazily hot if you do that so it's a choice of evils!

We've got a huge spider that comes out into the sitting room when we are watching telly, then disappears again. We've nicknamed it Cotton Eye Joe because there are two things we want to know.

It’s sad that so many people are happy spraying poisons around their houses. Hope you’re not wasting money on organic food or anything ‘natural’!

Spiders and all the other insects are just minding their own business.

What do you mean rechargeable ? Does it have a sucking function ?

Yes and when it's been recharged, it's a strong suction..

I then just tap the tube outside and spider escapes.

@susiedaisy1912 that was my first thought also what an horrific sounding spider !!

Bloody hell . @AnonymousReader what cockroach spray

Love a big spider. Dobbie the house spider munches up all the flies. Friend not foe.

Congratulations on knowing the difference a lot of people don't. I was responding to a post by OP about how I probably happily kill insects. I have done a course in entomology and highly recommend it, I am fascinated by all things creepy and crawly.

@scoobysnaxx I said that other people with phobias don't kill the subjects of those phobias. It seems it acceptable to kill something that scares you if it's much smaller than you despite it not actually being out to harm you in anyway.
I used to be terrified of wasps full on screaming and crying if one came near me. I realised how stupid my attitude to something that wasn't trying to hurt me and was so small. Now they get escorted back out the window or I walk away from them. They have the same right to live as I do.

Actually I think it’s not an irrational phobia , house spiders can give a nasty bite, and false widow spiders can also make a person very unwell from their bite. I hate spiders too, although the ones with the tiny bodies and spindly legs are always welcome in my house- they actually kill the big house spiders, and stay out of the way in a corner on the ceiling.

I totally sympathise @Whatever555Trigger warning ‼️ Recently my dog has started eating windfall plums from the garden which I’m actively trying to discourage for a couple of reasons; 1. Sometimes wasps are on them and I don’t want her to get stung; 2. Fear of her swallowing the pip. Earlier this week she came trotting in all spritely and proud and I knew she had something in her mouth. I gently coaxed her to release it. Her mouth wasn’t gaping enough for it to be a plum so I thought it was a wasp. She started slowing chewing then spat out the biggest now mangled spider I’d ever seen. I gathered it up with a tissue and binned it. A few minutes later she was coughing and spluttering a bit and out fell 2 long hairy legs and what I think was a bit of body 🤢.

But them big feckers don't mind their own business. They run at you, get in your bed, climb up on the couch etc... I'm terrified. I can cope with the cellar spiders cos they hang around in their webs minding their own business. We've got a big one in the garage but again it just reacts when something gets in its web, doesn't bother you otherwise. I have a spider catcher but last year one ran up the curtains and it was difficult to get. It was horrible. I really want one of those pop up mosquito nets, bit like a tent, to sleep in. I haven't even seen any yet and I'm checking clothes, towels, bed etc... I'm absolutely dreading it 😫

We had loads when I lived in my mum and dad's detached house but fortunately I now live in a 3 storey terrace townhouse and I have never seen one on the middle and top floors. I suspect they go straight through.

Phobias are totally irrational. Mine is cranefly/daddy long legs. I have been known to bolt from the house down to the bottom of the garden.

They’re not going to run up the hoover, they’re as scared of you as you are of them. The worst that will happen if you miss is it will run away to hide.

I’m like you OP. I have three cats and rarely see them now and never big house ones. I also Hoover very well, focus on corners and keeping corners clutter free and I spray peppermint essential oil around the edges and corners in the season (I can’t even write the word!) I also spray a defensive ring of peppermint around my bed. I clean with Purdy & Figg peppermint spray in the season and so far so good!

I’ve been here 11 years and seen two live large ones.

My fear is so bad that a catcher would be useless to me. I can only deal with them via a Hoover. But three cats is the best way tbh. Though this will be the first year without my best catcher/eater so we will see.

I feel your pain, have a massive phobia of spiders. I find what has helped is spraying them, as I have an outside area that attracts them for some reason and when they die, I keep looking at it. It has definitely desensitised my reaction and I feel more able to cope with dealing with them. I dread September/October....but I cope a bit better now

is indorex ok for pets?

I've just looked at one of these sprays mentioned and it doesn't look like it works on false widows i also tried raid on false widows and it didn't seem to work

The spider vacuum I gave a link to yesterday is easy to use and solves the problem. Forget messy oils,conkers, lavender etc.