I tell you my secret!

I was always VERY scared when I saw spiders. :o Especially the ones coming inside, not much the web building ones. I saw one 4 years ago in our hours BTC. It was HUGE. I googled the species. They can get quite old and so grow big....and sorry to say, but they DO BITE, but only to defend themselves. We had a guest who wanted to be very brave after lots of beers and swiped his hand in a gap under the window, where I've just seen a similar big one. He got bitten, but it wasn't that bad.

I went to a show with reptiles and ... tarantulas. Somehow I was fine having one put on my hand. :? It just sat there and did....nothing. I felt very brave.

Since then it is a bit better. :D

But now the best tool you need to get: :ugeek: Spider catcher from amazon or elsewhere. Does no harm to the spider and you don't come that close.

Good luck with keeping them out of your house!

My wife is a determined killer of spiders (when I am not around to catch them and put them outside, that is).

I have tried to explain to her that by killing them she is making the spider gene pool sneakier and better able to hide, and that it's therefore better to let the dumb ones that stand around in the open live. She isn't persuaded.

Wholly unnecessary to squash them and really quite nasty. A glass and beer mat or thick piece of paper/card is so easy to use to put them outside. I don't love spiders but I would never want to kill one when there is an alternative solution available. They are valuable in keeping the ecosystem happy and flies at bay and who am I to take a life?

If anyone has any belief in karma, squashing them is only going to bring 3 more in their place. :lol:

12cm!!
I love the way the article says they can give you a nip if you pick them up - what mad person is going to pick up a 12cm long spider!

There are apparently more coming indoors this year after our wet summer.

They are harmless but I agree, frightful!

Here's an article I read about them a couple of months ago when I first saw a big spider in the house.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34026269

I don't think I've seen one all year which means I'm due one of those massive dark brown ones with the really fat bodies. Yuk.
It's these false widow spiders I'm more concerned about though. I read an article saying there are lots in the UK and their bites can lead to amputation! Consequently (and I feel really guilty every time I do it) even money spiders are squashed in our house.

I find a hair dryer works very well :lol:

As zozodarling mentioned - Conkers, collect some from the common and keep piles of them in bowls - apparently spiders hate them!

Read conquers stops them, they hate them.

We once had such a monster that I got out the Cillit Bang and sprayed a puddle of doom around it. It recoiled and went into a ball and I breathed a sigh of relief. Until a minute later when it extended it's massive legs again and crawled under the fridge. Ug. A year later I am still worried....

Ugh I posted something similar in the spring. was not pretty! Feels so vulnerable to have them in my home with my little one. Though I believe they are meant to be harmless.

We had one in our house about a month ago.
Biggest spider I had ever seen in this country. I'm not usually bothered by spiders and will happily share my home with them, but this monster had to be squashed as I wouldn't have been able to sleep knowing it was in our house.

Over the course of the last few days I have found 3 absolutely massive spiders in my home. I'm assuming it's the change in weather but I'm horrified by spiders and really afraid I'm going to find more soon. Anyone else having a similar experience?