What's your problem with spiders?

badabing106

I witnessed an uncouth barbarian maim and kill a spider today. I reflected on that irrational desire to kill the spider, because they do not look as friendly as ladybird. My thoughts quickly came rushing in so quickly and how easy it is, as a human, to exercise destruction over nature. As I breathed into all of this so many images came to me- the destruction of the trees and habitats, the tearing up of the earth for building and burning stuff… I took pause just to let myself feel all of this sadness. Unless it was for food purposes, What other being in nature would kill a harmless, stoic, mindfull, artistic, and vitally important creature like the spider without a whim. What quivering ambivalent destroyers of nature we are .The world was not created for humans alone. If you have a problem with a spider, eat it or leave it be. Thanks

FunLover18

Not one of the bastards has given me superpowers yet!!

murpho999

Don't get the fear of spiders.

Completely harmless creatures that stay out of your way and eat annoying house flies.

Think people don't like how they walk.

Kevin Finnerty

My OH has an irrational fear of them and I mean stupidly so. A part of me dies every time I throw one out the door. Fascinating critters.

Feisar

I tell herself I give them gate but I operate a catch and release scheme.

Had a MASSIVE one take over our dining room window on the outside over the autunm. She wanted rid. I was like he/she is outside, guess what's inside that we don't like, flies!

The Princess Bride

I love them very much.
Beautiful and so skilled at making webs and catching ugly flies.

I'd have a pet spider only they don't like petting or cuddling.
Plus I'd have to feed them live critters which wouldn't appeal to me.

Franz Von Peppercorn

There was a long lived spider who webbed outside my door once. On the left as you exited.

From the lamp to the wall. The lamp was a fake gas light type thing. Looked pretty cool around Halloween I can tell you. Saved money too on decorations.

I read somewhere that early man would often sit around a fire for warmth and in much the same way, snakes would also arrive. As we were not the brightest species back then, to see our fellow man convulse and die in pain from a snake bite, was bizarre. It's the same for spiders, to see this little thing scuttle from the scene having killed a human, was unfathomable to early man. You could understand the danger of a lion, or bear etc, so apparently we evolved with this irrational fear of them which permeates through to generations of this day!

It makes sense now considering visually the pose no threat.

apparently a funnel web and a brown mamba have been known to chase humans!!:D the latter can really move across land and water too, mister funnel web, not so much. Only native to Sydney though I think, you'd see them near pools and in houses etc, I wouldn't fancy a bite off one.

valoren

Had one in the kitchen last week I had to take out. Big hairy fella.
We went to the local and had a few drinks. Sound spider, he's a web designer.

pxdf9i5cmoavkz

I'm not afraid of spiders when my wife is around. :pac:

The problem with spiders isn't the spider itself or the way it walks. Not really. The lizard part of our brains does not like it when spiders crawl over us. Real or imagined. That OMG PANIC feeling you get is your lizard brain warning you that something potentially dangerous is crawling over you.

Also, spider webs give the impression of an unkempt domicile which may not be true but that's the impression they give. Spiders tend to setup in places that go undisturbed for extended periods of time.

TheValeyard

The Pheasant2

No problem with spiders - they are vital allies in my life long struggle against my mortal enemy, flies.

The problem I have with spiders is that the amygdala in my brain has them clocked as erratic and unpredictable fast movers before I even realize it's a spider I'm looking at, and sends shivers of alert through my brain and I release all kinds of stress hormones that make me anxious and panicky and I react in a seemingly irrational way as I process a minor threat to be a major problem.

That and they're hairy.

TheValeyard

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

No problem with spiders - they are vital allies in my life long struggle against my mortal enemy, flies.

DEFTLEFTHAND

The eyes freak me out more than anything.

score2020

I had a massive freak spider here for weeks, he could cross the 4 meter room in a split second
had to eventually put him outside

4Ad

I have a nice big fella taking over the hall lately, one of us has to go..I was going to capture him (as I always do) and let him off outside, but my Brother said he will die..Is that true ? Mr Spider is currently in hiding in the warmth..

ger vallely

When I last moved house I was considering bringing the spider from my bathroom. S/he had been with us for years, we lived happily together, doing our thing. My new home has lots of dangly spiders, they keep the flies away so they are more than welcome. In the preschool I work in, lots of children seem to have the stamping reflex when they see one. I always try to explain how amazing spiders are and the important work they do. Wouldn't let one walk over me all the same and I did do a wild, crazy lady screaming dance one day when I picked something off my neck to find it was half of a squished spider, not good with that kind of thing at all.

EdgeCase

It seems it's not just humans. A large spider ran past my cat and he literally jumped and yelped!

There is a boardsie who has a load of them. I remember this from a thread a few months ago.
I was both horrified and amazed.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

One got in my ear about 4 years ago. Terrified ever since

biko

badabing106 wrote: »

I witnessed an uncouth barbarian maim and kill a spider today.

Maim - wound or injure (a person or animal) so that part of the body is permanently damaged.

Did the above actually happen, or did he just step on the spider?

nullzero

There was a false widow in a workplace I was in a few years ago and it was a beefy looking yoke.
I've never seen a spider that was so efficient at killing at eating insects,yoyncould see it getting bigger and I think it was doing weights when we weren't there.
That leads me to the problem with spiders, they eat flies and insects by liquifying their insides and drinking them like a smoothie, then they discard the husks.
That false widow was leaving piles of insect husks all over the floor underneath where its web was, the place was destroyed and so the spider had to go.
The notion that spiders are clean creatures is a myth, there's no place in my home for any invertebrates, arachnid or otherwise.

BrokenArrows

It's a genetic fear that is built into most of us. Things that crawl and bite were very bad a long time ago.

As a previous poster said, it's their unpredictable quick movements that are the problem. If they walked slower they would be fine.

7 Seconds...

I'v had a complete irrational fear of them since I was a child, I've screamed the place down when seeing one, thankfully I'm not as bad now. Although the idea of one crawling on me still fills with the horrors.

wexie

that time of year again

hatrickpatrick

Can't stand them, but recognise that this is indeed irrational so I usually either tolerate them or chase them outside. Can't bring myself to murder them, like.

murpho999 wrote: »

Think people don't like how they walk.

It's the angular legs when they lower their abdomens. Spiders look less and less intimidating the more stretched out their legs are - it's when their knees are sticking up (so their legs look like /\ on each side) that they freak people out. I did once read that there's a reason those angles scare some humans, but I can't remember the source.

Spiders are our friends

Just don't crawl around my bed please

NickNickleby

I'm terrified of the so-and-so's. However, I'm spider-catcher-in-chief , as anyone else here would just stomp on them. I do make an exception if I detect what I suspect to be a False Widow, because they can sting/bite and MIGHT be dangerous. But more especially because I've read that due to their ferocity and longevity they're a threat to our own little Irish spiders. So far I've eliminated one suspect, whilst demolishing a wooden shed.

hatrickpatrick

NickNickleby wrote: »

So far I've eliminated one suspect, whilst demolishing a wooden shed.

Fair amount of dedication to the job of catching it

Spleerbun

What's the best catching technique ye all have found? The classic glass over it and slip a bit of paper underneath is it??

NickNickleby

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Fair amount of dedication to the job of catching it

I'm afraid I cannot claim any kudos in that regard. 8ft wooden shed, with 7ft roof. Demolished it from the inside. When one side and half the roof fell away, I was left holding up the remaining part of the roof with a broom. So, the circumstances actually dictated how nimble I could be - threw myself to one side and the roof flipped over and followed me. When I looked down, the felt had ripped away, and there was your man, blinking. I bent down close enough to see the strange designs on his back, and before he could decide which way to go, I hit him with the cold chisel I was holding in my other hand. Twice :eek:.

We still have a block built shed and I know there's one in there. But he (or more likely she) moves exceedingly fast when I turn on the light. May have to do a mission to get this one. Its web is attached at one end to a fridge, and come Christmas it'll be getting a lot of use. Don't want my Christmas Eve ruined by screaming and tears and "look, he bit me, he bit me" and that'd be me. OH doesn't know about the lodger yet.

NickNickleby

Spleerbun wrote: »

What's the best catching technique ye all have found? The classic glass over it and slip a bit of paper underneath is it??

yes indeed. Make sure to get a big enough glass, so as not to catch a leg. I've found a €50 note is a good size for under the glass. But for safety, use 2 for thickness.

This thread makes me feel sick

billyhead

Don't mind spiders at all apart from the ones that are skinny with long legs and breed like rabbits. Their a nuisance as they leave cobwebs all over the place.

FishOnABike

NickNickleby wrote: »

I'm afraid I cannot claim any kudos in that regard. 8ft wooden shed, with 7ft roof. Demolished it from the inside. When one side and half the roof fell away, I was left holding up the remaining part of the roof with a broom. So, the circumstances actually dictated how nimble I could be - threw myself to one side and the roof flipped over and followed me. When I looked down, the felt had ripped away, and there was your man, blinking. I bent down close enough to see the strange designs on his back, and before he could decide which way to go, I hit him with the cold chisel I was holding in my other hand. Twice :eek:.

Double tap - consummate professional spider slayer!

AllForIt

I like them cause their furry.

mvl

during my childhood, spiders were ok. - till I saw Renfield and spiders- creep-ed me out.

Richard Hillman

I don't mind them when they pick out a nice corner of the room and stay there. It's the adventurous ones that get the phone book.

hatrickpatrick

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I don't mind them when they pick out a nice corner of the room and stay there. It's the adventurous ones that get the phone book.

Graces7

BrokenArrows wrote: »

It's a genetic fear that is built into most of us. Things that crawl and bite were very bad a long time ago.

As a previous poster said, it's their unpredictable quick movements that are the problem. If they walked slower they would be fine.

The huge black one lurking on the wall between my kitchen taps never got a chance to move... whipped my shoe off and then when it tried to attack me with 2 legs missing, finished it off

I choose who and what I share my home with.. creepy crawlies are a no.

Graces7

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Can't stand them, but recognise that this is indeed irrational so I usually either tolerate them or chase them outside. Can't bring myself to murder them, like.


It is n't irrational. In many countries spiders bite and can kill. ALL spiders bite. Murder? REALLY!

klaaaz

Graces7 wrote: »

It is n't irrational. In many countries spiders bite and can kill. ALL spiders bite. Murder? REALLY!

The huge black one lurking on the wall between my kitchen taps never got a chance to move... whipped my shoe off and then when it tried to attack me with 2 legs missing, finished it off

Not in Ireland do they kill. Terrible that you commit murder on a defenceless creature, sounds like you do that to any living being, no empathy or conscience inside you.

Plopsu

Graces7 wrote: »

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Can't stand them, but recognise that this is indeed irrational so I usually either tolerate them or chase them outside. Can't bring myself to murder them, like.


It is n't irrational. In many countries spiders bite and can kill. ALL spiders bite. Murder? REALLY!

Also, if you're putting them outside, they're going to die anyway.

And what's with all the, 'they kill flies'? The only way they'll catch flies is if you leave their webs all over your house, which is kind of disgusting. No webs = no flies caught unless you think they're shooting them in mid air (in which case you may be confusing spider with sniper).

Graces7

klaaaz wrote: »

Not in Ireland do they kill. Terrible that you commit murder on a defenceless creature, sounds like you do that to any living being, no empathy or conscience inside you.

:eek::eek:

Raheem Euro

Plopsu wrote: »

Also, if you're putting them outside, they're going to die anyway.

Spiders were around before dinosaurs.

They didn't evolve to live in three bed semis

Plopsu

Raheem Euro wrote: »

Spiders were around before dinasaurs.

They didn't evolve to live in three bed semis

Sheltered and unsheltered are not the same thing.

Raheem Euro

Plopsu wrote: »

Sheltered and unsheltered are not the same thing.

Are you implying that a spider cannot find shelter or that one will die without shelter?

Plopsu

Raheem Euro wrote: »

Are you implying that a spider cannot find shelter or that one will die without shelter?

Google is your friend. Indoor spiders do not do well outdoors and will likely die if placed there (not instantly but they won't last too long). If you don't like the answer, take it up with nature.

Raheem Euro

Plopsu wrote: »

Google is your friend. Indoor spiders do not do well outdoors and will likely die if placed there (not instantly but they won't last too long). If you don't like the answer, take it up with nature.

"Indoor spider" is that a scientific term.
Can i use google to become educated like you.

Raheem Euro

Plopsu wrote: »

Google is your friend. Indoor spiders do not do well outdoors and will likely die if placed there (not instantly but they won't last too long). If you don't like the answer, take it up with nature.

"Indoor spider" is that a scientific term.
Can i use google to become educated like you.