Anyone have suggestions to get rid of the big horrible spiders

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witchymand

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We are being inundated with these horrible big fat legged spiders that run like B***ards. Am terrified of them and so is my son.
Is there any way of getting rid of them, anything you can buy?
thanks
 
In my experience house spiders run out of steam fairly quickly when you chase them with a newspaper or the like and then you can easily scoop them up and put them outside. I prefer to take this approach than to kill them as the missus always suggests. If you are averse to handling them directly then use a shiny piece of cardboard and something like a plastic/tupperware bowl - drop the latter over them and slide the card underneath thus capturing the spider. Of course, don't lose sight of the fact that spiders (at least the ones in this country) are completely harmless to humans. I used to have the same irrational fear of spiders that many people suffer from but through practice am comfortable with picking most of them up directly and getting rid of them.
 
We have a bit of a problem with big spiders too. I took some great close-up photos of a 3" 'monster' on the kitchen floor, it looks just like Alien, with all the spiny arms and evil looking sharp bits! Funnily enough, they seem to have thicker legs than normal as you mention, and have bigger than usual 'bodies'.

I'm not sure where they come from, and I couldn't find anything in the shop to kill them off, but I'm told that they are a sign of good luck, and that they are also a sign of a dry house if thats any consolation. And remember, they won't jump at you or do anything to you.

I would try to find the place where they come from/hang out and move them on, one thing that spiders hate is having to spin new webs all the time. PS don't ever watch Anachrophobia or you'll never sleep in peace again!
 
We bought a spray in tesco a couple of weeks ago and it's brilliant. I think it's raid - it's a red can with ugly spiders on it. We spray it outside the doors and it's stopped the 3 or 4 beetle type things that we used to get every single night. We also spray it on and in the shed to get rid of the big hairy spiders - one spray and they just drop.
 
I haven't killed a spider in 8 years. Ever since my wife said to me "what right do you have"...I'd feel too guilty now.

I use the following "bugcatcher" - you open a trap door, push the thing over the spider , slide back the trapdoor underneath it and bring it safely out of the house - normally to the garden of a neighbour I don't like!

It really does work - and you can inspect the spider at close quarters when you know it's safely contained.

There is a great thread on boards.ie about all this big spider stuff.

(Don't listen to Clubman when he says they are harmless - these particular buggers have pincers that break the skin and inject a fluid that renders humans unable to move for a couple of hours while it proceeds to lay eggs).
 
podgerodge said:
(Don't listen to Clubman when he says they are harmless - these particular buggers have pincers that break the skin and inject a fluid that renders humans unable to move for a couple of hours while it proceeds to lay eggs).
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You know people who read that won't be able to sleep at night....back it up with evidence!!

There was a mention in the Tribune a few weeks back that this summer has seen an explosion in the number of spiders cause of weatehr conditions last summer I think....damp summer = loads of spiders/daddy long legs the next summer. They expect as I recall now, the numbers next year to drop back down after this summer we just had. But always remember spiders eat bugs!
 
Friend of mine used to love spiders, not to eat now, just as companions for the exact reason legend99 above describes
 
We have one of the Spider Catchers as per Henny Pennys link above, and I think its excellent. It catches the spider alive and doesnt harm them and you can release them safely at arms length outside. Also works for other types of bugs.
 
podgerodge said:
I use the following "bugcatcher" - you open a trap door, push the thing over the spider , slide back the trapdoor underneath it and bring it safely out of the house - normally to the garden of a neighbour I don't like!

It really does work - and you can inspect the spider at close quarters when you know it's safely contained.
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Yeah - that's the sort of thing that my DIY approach mimics.

(Don't listen to Clubman when he says they are harmless - these particular buggers have pincers that break the skin and inject a fluid that renders humans unable to move for a couple of hours while it proceeds to lay eggs).
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For those who are squeamish about spiders this is just a joke.

It may be my imagination (no evidence here I'm afraid folks!) but it does look like spiders have been growing larger in recent years - maybe something to do with the relatively mild weather that we've been having all year round? I've noticed a few big black house spiders recently (all disposed of safely before the missus got to whack them!). I also noticed some huge garden spiders (the ones that are usually sandy brown or even greenish/greyish with a large humped body) among the ivy at the back of our garden. They're fascinating to watch - especially when they have caught some prey - and the webs that they weave are as good as works of art. Oh - and just to clarify whatever about irrational fear of spiders I certainly don't attribute any luck to finding them! ;)

On a similar topic I've also noticed a few creatures this year that I've never seen before. They look like some sort of beetle and with a flat back and are vivid green with slight brown markings which makes them hard to spot on garden shrubs etc. They look a little like this but are a more vivid green and have a broader back. Any ideas?

Update: actually I've seen a few links describing stink bugs are green shield shaped beetles which certainly matches the sort of thing that I've seen so maybe the picure linked above is on the right track after all?

Update 2: yep - it's a stink bug alright! [broken link removed] is one without the same more prominent brown markings that I've seen. I've never seen them before this year!

Creepy crawlies - aren't they fascinating!? ;)
 
I am TERRIFIEd of spider and saw a really big one last night while bringing my daughter to the toilet and without trying to frighten her suggested we go upstairs to use the upstairs loo instead.

My husband isn't as used to my freaking out and if he doesn;t run immediately to catch the offending spider I get rather hysterical.

My father used to be a super spider catcher when I lived at home and always caught them in a glass with a bit of cardboard and try to get us to look at them. I would and then feel ok and then the next tiem I say one I's be as bad. Seemingly from watching a documentary about phobias its the REM that makes us afraid. THey can move very fast relative to their size.

I wouldn't get one of those spider catchers as couldn't even be that close to a spider to catch it!!!
 
Apologies that mine is not a spider friendly post, but I keep the phone directory handy over the last couple of weeks and lob it onto these very large and scary :eek: creatures. Sorry but I just don't have the stomach or the nerve to catch and release them.
 
fobs said:
Seemingly from watching a documentary about phobias its the REM that makes us afraid. THey can move very fast relative to their size.
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What do you mean by REM? Don't forget that they run out of steam very quickly and are then surprisingly docile/defenseless. And they are harmless.

I was in [broken link removed] vegetarian café on Wicklow Street the other weekend and there was a bit of a commotion behind the counter following which the waitress explained to another customer that there's always a bit of a quandry when a group of vegans and vegetarians are called upon to deal with a big spider! :D
 
I'd reccommend trying to come to terms with your irrational reaction to a completely harmless (and in many cases beneficial) critter which must have a 1/10000 or less of your size/speed/strength. From anecdotal experience, I believe this fear/dislike of spiders is purely cultural. Very small kids are fascinated by them and have no problem touching 'em or picking them up. Then after a year or two in school they get hysterical when they see one.

I used to at least dislike spiders as a child (too manly to admit I was scared of 'em) but now I like them. I'd never bother killing one; why would you? Would you kill a robin red breast? I can understand killing rats and cockroaches which represent a threat or even mice (because they'll eat your food) but harmless critters? They're just going about their business. As a self-improvement excercise, I'd recommend setting yourself the goal of undoing the prejudice against these fellas which you were programmed with as a child.
 
i often catch small guys and put them on my 5 year old girls hands and have it walk up and down her. Shes then ok with them....then the next time my wife sees one and loses the plot the 5 year old copies her reaction....its never ending!

Incidentally, if could create artifically what spiders make to weave their webs, it would solve some amount of problems for us....a spiders web is I think 4 times strongr than steel of the same thickness, while the spiders web can be stretched by a large factor without any damage. As far as I know, the US military have spent millions of dollars and lots of hours trying to create artifical spiders web material..
 
How did you overcome your own fear of them out of curiosity?
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I'm not sure because it happened slowly and quite a while ago but the first step must be (I imagine) to convince yourself that your fear is irrational even if you still think there's something repulsive about them. This step really shouldn't be all that hard; I mean just look at the size of yourself in comparison

I'm not ready to write the equivalent of an Alan Carr's guide but I guess the process might go something like:
1. My fear/dislike is irrational - but I still hate 'em.
2. They really can't hurt me and they pose no real threat but I don't like being near them.
3. Ok they are unattractive crawly things but as long as they aren't crawling on me, who cares?
4. They are kinda interesting and it's good they're around to kill flies and whatnot!
and finally - viola
5. Ah!! look at the luvly liddle spidey widey! Come 'ere little fella and lets have a look at you!
 
legend99 said:
Incidentally, if could create artifically what spiders make to weave their webs, it would solve some amount of problems for us....a spiders web is I think 4 times strongr than steel of the same thickness, while the spiders web can be stretched by a large factor without any damage. As far as I know, the US military have spent millions of dollars and lots of hours trying to create artifical spiders web material..
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Maybe carbon nanotubes are the answer but I'm not sure about us spinning them out of our bottoms just yet! :D

darag said:
I'm not ready to write the equivalent of an Alan Carr's guide but I guess the process might go something like:

...
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Sounds a bit like a standard Cognitive Behaviour Therapy approach towards reassessing and challenging what are ultimately irrational beliefs about and reactions to circumstances and reframing one's beliefs and reactions in a more logical light.
 
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