Spiders.

[redlig]

Has anyone noticed the sudden appearance of large spiders this year ? At least twice or three times the size of a 'normal' large spider . Leg span of approx 4/5 inches.

 

[brightspark]

not that big but but dog normaly sorts them out in our house

 

[dieselsamurai]

Has anyone noticed the sudden appearance of large spiders this year ? At least twice or three times the size of a 'normal' large spider . Leg span of approx 4/5 inches.

we need a picture of that ! I get them in my workshop but 3 inch is the biggest ive seen

 

[tigdlo]

They are a little bigger, 2" is about normal here, I've seen a few more than normal closer to 2.5" this year, there is one under the sofa now, i see something move in the corner of my eye, turn my head and it runs back under, done it twice now.

 

[Robert Weaver]

Sudder increase in cellar spiders here. I've evicting probably 3 a day, for the last 3 or 4 weeks.

 

[Migmac]

We get them 3 -4 inches nothing bigger. Come the Autumn they appear in the house, don’t mind them. We have smaller ones 2 inches maybe but solid and quite fierce, disturb them and they’ll rear up at you

 

[8ob]

The more they eat the bigger they get, leave them be. Anything that eats things that try to suck my blood and crawl over my food is welcome.

Bob

 

[Morrisman]

How do you measure your spiders? Leg length included - or just the body? When fully ‘stood up’ or when splatted on the floor!

I do take some of these measurements with a pinch of salt. Photographic evidence, like suggested above, is the minimum required.

Yes, I've never seen a spider even 3" across in the U.K., let alone 5".

 

[julianf]

"Mum, Mr Skinny Legs is on my curtains again!"

(gleefully)

 

[brightspark]

Not disturbing the spiders was a good reason for my wife not dusting around the coving on a too-regular basis. As 8ob, they are welcome in our house.

I like the saying “if you want to live and thrive, let a spider run alive”.

i dont mind the small ones in the house have a couple up on the wall in utility room that normaly catch small midgies and flies in the web

 

[Wildefalcon]

Yes, I've noticed this.

 

[Newlands]

There has been an increase in the number of false widows this year - shiny black bodies about the size of a pea. A really nasty bite that has sent some people to A and E, and they seem to like living under bits of rag in the garage.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Sudder increase in cellar spiders here. I've evicting probably 3 a day, for the last 3 or 4 weeks.

Being in the middle of rural farmland, we get a lot of these anyway but the numbers have certainly increased this year.

On a bad day I can hoover up 15-20 in the workshop and a dozen in the house. Following day they will have been replaced. We have a lot of woodlice in this area and they seem to thrive off them.

The biggest issue I have with them is the mess. The amount of webs they can produce in a few hours is staggering, but mostly it is their crap. It is like mini bird poo and it ruins any soft furnishings and interior paint and can be difficult to clean off anything else - corrodes tools and stains car paint.

House spiders don't seem to cause as many problems, seen a few big ones, but relatively few by comparison.

 

[dobbslc]

This is a fair size one I found a couple of years ago.
If a brick is 4" then he's maybe 5" across.

 

[Seadog]

Yes, I've noticed this. View attachment 417694

The Garden Spider. Lots in my garden. Plenty of other types in the house.

 

[Shox Dr]

The Garden Spider. Lots in my garden. Plenty of other types in the house.

I think they make their webs out of piano wire.

 

[tigdlo]

If a brick is 4"

It isn't

 

[Seadog]

I think they make their webs out of piano wire.

I had a couple of webs in the way recently. I have to admit that tge tensike strength certainly seems to be higher than I remember. That, or I'm getting weaker.

 

[mart]

The more they eat the bigger they get, leave them be. Anything that eats things that try to suck my blood and crawl over my food is welcome.

Bob

Do these house spiders bite, when they are a certain size?

 

[Seadog]

All spiders can bite. Most don't have fangs capable of piercing human skin ( see "The False Widow" )