Big Spider

[kirsty b]

I'm not afraid of spiders, but while sat here on my couch I have watched a large one go past me about 3-4 times. I'm sure he waved on the last trip.
The dogs are sparked out and the cat is too, so they are pretty useless at the moment and can't evict it for me!! Probably wouldn't either the lazy buggers

So, should i do the glass and paper thing and put it out in the cold, or just accept I have a new lodger for a little while?

[BrideXIII]

do what I always do, i hate the rotten scheming things, but will never kill one unless forced to, we have a pint glass and xmas card in every room.

my late grandmother said, take it outside, tell it not to come back, and tell it to tell its friends not to bother either, she swore it worked.
me i'm not so sure, but I do it anyway just in case

she aslo said they come in pairs so if you kill one, it's mate will come looking for it, now THAT i have found to be relatively true, on the rare occasions I have had to kill one, another always turns up the next day.

[Gary66]

I always like to think of them as supplying a service in that they will catch flies and other less desirable beasties in the house. Mind you, if it's one of the big ones, then it's glass and paper and out into the garden to earn it's keep!

[Alice]

Little ones don't bother me and I let them be in the house - but I do have to deal with the cob webs.
But those big guys - the ones waving the boxing gloves at you - it's a whisky glass, postcard and out in the cold for you. Sorry pals.
I never kill them - can't do it and don't see the need.
I've only had 1 or 2 this year - maybe it's the rotten waether.

[Bephlam]

Either catch it in a glass (whilst screaming) and run full speed outside with it...chucking it as far away as you as possible! Or, if it's anything like the ones we've been getting of late, put a saddle on it and go for a ride!

Eeeek...horrible wee things!

[BrideXIII]

I have never figured out why those big beggers are called harvest spiders when there isn't a field within 10 miles of my house, ok this thread is making me have the shivers now.

[Sue]

My youngest cat Cocoa is an avid spider hunter and has now found two before I saw them. Hate finding the poor wounded spiders and having to get rid of them.
What I'm not looking forward to is getting hornets in the house like I did last year. Wasps are bad enough but there's a race on for me to get them before Cocoa, don't know what happens if cats get stung but don't really want to find out.
Sue

[MaureenHall]

I HATE SPIDERS whatever size they are!! I'm afraid it's the long vaccuum cleaner pipe for me, they either survive or they don't then the contents get chucked onto the compost heap

[janeyo]

My Gran used to say

'If you want to live and thrive, let the spider run alive'

Great advice, but I'm afraid they get killed in our house as I am terrified. The cats get them sometimes and I just find great big legs.

I haven't been in our downstairs loo for a week now as there was one in there the size of a small dog. OH did his best, but missed it. ('Thwack - missed it'). There is a gaping hole in the floor down to under the house so I am refusing to go back in til the hole is blocked up. I have even taped the bottom of the door up! OH will be cleaing the loo and sink for the forseeable future!

janeyo

[Tam]

You call your large spider a "he" but it is more likely to be a lady. Spiders mus be the most useful creatures on the planet. I normally transport them into the greenhouse, where they do a sterling job.

[HayleyB]

I use a large glass and card, took me years to build up to that, but 11yr DD now happily copes with that as well. I've had some whose legs don't fit in a pint jug before and there are some even my OH doesn't pick up any more - he's been bitten a few times. Our old cat had a masive fight with one years ago, took her about 8 lunges before she killed it - it kept biting her nose

[kirsty b]

I was telling OH about spider when he got in from work this morning, when I saw it casually strolling along the skirting board in my bedroom!! He did ask if that was why I slept on couch last night!
My ruff, tuff tomcat Puss saw it at the same time and went over to play with it. Spider was having none of that and shot under wardrobe where I think it still is. Will try to gently move it elsewhere later as I really don't like killing spiders.

[Glutton4...]

They're called Simons in our house - no idea why, just some more lunacy inherited from my parents!

I'm the only member of the family who'll pick them up and put them out, but I do it in a glass now and not by one leg like I used to as a kid. I was fine like that until one panicked and ran up my nightie sleeve leaving me holding one little hairy leg!

G4

[JanieB]

The large hairy ones with hobnail boots on really creep me out. But I know how much good they do and don't want to kill them.

My late OH knew how I felt and put a "spider catcher" in my stocking one Xmas. Trouble is it's only about 2ft long. If you think I'm getting that close you must be b£oody joking . It has a hairy thing on the end that opens when you pull the trigger and then closes over the spider. You can then release it outside without harm.

I have had to be brave since he died and have actually used it several times .

And, yes, the biggies are female. The males are quite a lot smaller and, ALL female spiders try to eat their mates. The males have some interesting ways to avoid this. Thinking about another thread, sex for a male spider is a VERY adventurous sport .

[HayleyB]

Had two biggies last night, one on the landing used DD's Puto cup and paper, ditched it out the landing window, couple hours later went into shower room another one Pluto is now in Shower Room