House Spiders

[Shadow Man]

I know that they do not hurt, eat flies and were probably born and bred in the house you see them.

My question.

Where the hell do they come from??

I have a clean and tidy house. They is little clutter and the place is hoovered twice a week by a cleaner and sometimes more by me. I no longer have exposed floorboards and there are no cracks in any wall or woodwork. There are simply no nooks and crannies at all.

Also most of my furniture is newish.

Yet every year I have giant house spiders in every room. I have just come back from the pub and there were two (in seperate rooms skulking about living rent free.

I am sorry but I am ashamed to say I kill them.

Where the hell do they hide. Honestly you would not find a cobweb in my house if you searched with a microscope!!!

[garner]

Why kill them!! they are not hurting you..remember the old saying... If you want to live and thrive let a spider stay alive.

[awfulagnes]

I know this may sound silly but my mum always told me that spiders come in through open windows. Don't know if its true but its as good an explanation as any.

[Pirate1]

It's a mystery! I bought an old caravan, clean every nook and cranny. Hermetically sealed it, i.e. every window has net stretched over it and sealed with velcro. Every vent has the same. And still they get in!!!!!!!! By the way do you think this is over the top? However, I am terrified of them (and yes I know they don't harm you etc. etc.)

[evedawn]

I'd also like to know how they get in!!!

Also why the h*ll is it that the people who are most frightened (ie ME!!!) seem to attract them....it seems everywhere I go there is a spider lurking close by! I hate spiders.....

[Pirate1]

I am so scared of them that when my two girls were small, I was determined to make sure that they were not. So...... I proceeded to act Not Afraid! I picked them up in jars and put them out purring things like "oh look, a lovely little spider" etc. etc. It didn't work. They are older now and as terrified as me!!!!!

[quizbabe]

I also don't like them but I can catch them and put them back outside where they belong but I don't want to scare anybody but while gardening recently I was bitten just above my ankle. My whole foot grew up to twice its size so I went to hospital. They said I had been bitten by a spider in my garden and I had to have antibiotics and a special dressing put on. I do react to bites but have never seen a bite like this one and even more scary I never felt a thing.

[Pirate1]

You didn't want to scare anyone....... but YOU HAVE!!!! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[Fanriffic]

Get yourself some of this stuff Shadow Man:

http://www.easylifegroup.com/products/501.asp

You've tried everything else so it's worth a go.

I hate spiders too.
What I don't like is the way spiders take up residence in your car wing mirrors. They must want a lift somewhere or they're very vain little critters.

[Pirate1]

Sorry! tried it, it didn't work!

[cruella]

I absolutely detest spiders. Totally freaked out by them all my life. I have a Westie who actually has great fun catching them. Once she has finished with them, they are a dead. I cannot deal with them and have to get my Hubbie to put them out the house but there was a huge one in the bath when I got up for work the other morning.
I coild not even look at it and had to run the tap until it was flushed down the wastepipe. I heard that they sometimes crawl up the pipes. UGHhh

[evedawn]

My husband has great delight in my fear of spiders. It's NOT funny though! Just the other day I saw one scuttle across the bathroom floor and now I confess to lifting my feet off the floor in case it scuttles (aaargh) over my foot. No more reading on the bog for me...I am too bust looking at the ceiling, the floor, everywhere for signs of "fred" (what my husband has kindly christened the arachnid!)

[quizbabe]

Sorry I didn't mean to scare you but have to say I really don't like them but what freaked me out was that one got near enough to bite me and I never even saw it. I love gardening but have started to wear trousers tucked into my wellies.

[evedawn]

I've been I think pretty open minded about this all...and hadn't been able to make my mind up if i personally thought she was dead or alive (though obviously i very much want herr to be alive....she's an innocent little kid!!) But just Friday I saw an interview with the parents where Mrs was asked if Madeline was watching what would she say to her...Mrs response was unmoving and referred to Madeline in the 3rd person...Instead of directly speaking to Maddie. It did strike me as odd! Or am I being harsh...maybe she is on tranquilisers or somehting and thats why she appears unemotional...?

[evedawn]

oopppps! Sorry following a few threads...the previous answer was supposed to be sent to the one about Madeline! Ignore what I just said it has NOWT to do with spiders!!!

[hippyhoppy]

I implement my 'spider elimation device' which is alternatively known as my hoover. Or, if in the bath, a very hot tap directed to said interloper...

[horselady]

These phobias are weird aren't they? I don't mind spiders in the least, never have been afraid of them, will pick one up quite happily.

On the other hand, one little mouse anywhere near me----OMG my legs are going wobbly just writing this!

[thugulike]

The British House Spider lives inside, not out. I also have huge spiders in my house. They will be particularly evident in the 6 weeks ahead as they are mating. The enormous ones are the females, smaller ones are the males and yes, the females do kill their mates. I was desensitised a few years ago and whilst I don't ever want to hold a spider in my hand I no longer have that hysterical fear and can deal with them quite rationally. Ian Banyard cured me. Did you know that the BHS can bite? I put on a shoe a few years ago and there was a large female lurking inside and my big toe was well and truly bitten. No damage done, it just hurt at the time.

[boojp]

thugulike-AARGGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

So horrible!!!

[andy-hughes]

As already advised, you shouldn't put house spiders outside, they will not survive. House spiders live and breed indoors, where the warmth and lack of moisture suits them.

They will get in through your roof space from outside, and breed and evolve into house spiders.

Spiders do not come up through drains, they are far too fastitidious to go anywhere near a grotty drain, even assuming they could negostiate an 'S' bend full of water. They find themselves in sinks and baths because they fall in during their travels, and can't climb out. If you can't touch them, drape a towel over the edge, trailing along the bottom of the bath or sink, and leave them for a few hours, they'll be gone when you return.