Spiders.... in the house

[Meg888]

I don't really mind them, as I quite like them!! But I've discovered a web on my ceiling, it has about 3 adult (I'm assuming) spiders in it, probably 0.5/1 cm long and a couple of very tiny ones; but more interestingly, it has what appear to be a couple of tiny egg sacks.... I noticed this web seemed to have been constructed very quickly, and it's on my ceiling directly above a large bright floor lamp. I'm not keen on getting rid as I don't want to disturb any potential babies, but it's a bit unsightly, particularly as a couple of the bigger ones may even be dead, and it's starting to un-nerve my daughter!! It's been there now for just over a week, and I only noticed the egg sacks (if that's what they are) last weekend. In addition to this, I've quite a large spider who 'lives' under my fire which hasn't been on since winter, and it's body is about 2cm long and it's legs prob take it to 5cm in total... it never moves unless it's disturbed - but I can't understand why it doesn't seem to go anywhere else - that one has been there almost two weeks! Can anyone advise (spider friendlies only!!!) Thanks!

[B00]

Can't advise (sorry!) but I just wanted to say good for you for leaving them and not going into girly screams over them and killing them or getting someone else to do it for you- that always makes me sad, I kinda like spiders too.

[chaptazbru]

Ditto

[naomi24]

I'm not spider friendly. Suck 'em up the hoover! (Runs and hides from the imminent wrath of B00). :o)

[Robinia]

I'm ok about living with spiders too.
Are you sure the 'dead' ones aren't just shed skin? The eggs might hatch but I don't think many survive or we'd be overrun with them.
I'm guessing the fire spider comes out when you've gone to bed! :)

[Meg888]

LOL @ Naomi, that's what someone else suggested! If I could move them all to a safe haven outside I would, but I watched Charlotte's Web and if I remember rightly the egg sack must not get disturbed...

[Meg888]

@ Robinia, well I say he 'lives' under the fire, but most of the time it's just sat in front of the grill - he will scarper under it if disturbed, otherwise I'm sure it just sits watching tv or me....!

[horselady]

I've got a huge one in my living room, he pops out very late at night and just sort of hangs around, I think mine watches TV too.

[chaptazbru]

I often wonder what these huge house spiders (and they seem to get bigger every year) actually live on! All they ever seem to do is scurry about and then hide ....

[Meg888]

I've just thought, I have a mirrored ornament on the fireplace (on the floor in front of the fire) maybe the fire spider is playing hard to get with what he/she thinks is a potential 'mate' - it actually moved from it's usual spot the other day and was sort of latched half way up this mirrored ornament - maybe it thought it had scored ha!

[Robinia]

Yes they do that Meg. I had one behind the settee (says a lot for my vacuuming!) who'd crawl up the wall, do a complete lap of the room and go back 'home' every night while I was watching the tele. :)

[EvianBaby]

I've had one living behind my wing mirror for months. I don't overly like spiders but I get a bit sad if I think he's gone. Then an obsurd sense of joy when I see a new web.

[naomi24]

chaptazbru, I'm in the habit of speed-reading and saw you wondering what spiders live on - and then my eyes jumped to 'scurry'. I had to read it all again - I thought you said 'curry'! Seriously! Haaaa!

[Robinia]

I had a big spider in the kitchen for months who used to stand and watch me...I often saw him crawl up the side of my dog's bowl to have drink. :)

[sunny-dave]

Love spiders - have a real cracker in my back passage (ooh matron) - quite capable of taking out any passing wasps ... and junior dog has taken to giving it a wide berth if it's on the floor.

[seadogg]

Sorry bill but I too like spiders and carefully remove them from the bath. We have a nearby wood with dead trees lying on the ground and we get loads of flying woodworm beatles in May-June which (I hope) spiders can catch in the house.

[ELVIS68]

We've got one in the downstairs loo, he sits there in the corner of the window frame and curls up whenever the light goes on.

I don't think the missus has spotted him yet as she'd have screamed.

I'm more for thinking if he's brave enough to watch her do her bits and pieces then he deserves to stay

Long Live Boris!

[4getmenot]

outside they dont bother me but as intruders in my house they dont last long

[boxtops]

My mother used to say that spiders only live in a happy house. We must be very happy.

Meg, don't put your indoor spiders outside - they won't survive. Outdoor spiders are different, our garden is heaving with them at the moment!

I wonder if what you think are egg sacs are in fact food - if a fly or moth is caught in the web, the spider will wrap it up in web to make a larder of it.