Spiders!

I'm getting the heebie geebies just reading this thread!
DH and I did do out the shed the other day ? But didn't find the big spider I KNOW lives in there-suspect the clearing out made him scuttle away. He's probably back in there by now.

From Google:
"They’re traditionally symbols of good luck

The money spider has its name for a reason – they were meant to bring good fortune.

In Ancient Chinese culture, spiders were called ‘ximu’, or happy insect. It was believed to be particularly lucky if they dropped down from the ceiling, as if they were dropping down from heaven."

We get all kinds, a lot of the skinny kind, all legs, the smaller brown ones and big house spiders with hairy legs and go faster stripes! Found one in the conservatory last week that was black and red.

My son hates them and I cannot sit comfortably if I know one is in the room. I'm not quite as bad as I used to be but still don't welcome the horrors.
I remember when I was young, lying in bed and hearing a little 'tap' beside my head. My senses told me it was not good, jumped up and put light on - huge black spider sat there! Still makes me shiver. Dad to the rescue lol

A friend of my son told him last year to have a Peppermint plant in his room, that and the conkers seemed to keep them away. Bought a new plant yesterday for this year. He also bought some Peppermint oil but it's so strong the tiniest bit stinks the house out so needs diluting.

My son and his wife have just moved into a very old cottage - my 16 year old GD is terrified of spiders and they seem to migrate to her bedroom. DIL said she'd put some lemon oil down so I told her about the conkers too. It's inevitable there are a lot in there - it's an old property with a very overgrown garden which a gardener was starting to clear yesterday so hopefully that might help. I'm not frightened of them but hate the way they scuttle about - I have a spider catcher - a pyramid shaped gadget with a sliding trapdoor - very useful for catching wasps which I am terrified of. I've also caught small mice in it which the cat has brought in and lost!

Yes, maybe our dds have radar ears and can tune in!

I wonder where house spiders lived before houses were a thing?

We tend not to get the hairy ones but fat-bodied ones with miles of leg. Last autumn wasn't too bad - we had mice instead - and I'm hoping this harsh winter will have killed off more than a few.

Honestly, though, nothing needs eight legs. That's why I'm against spiders.

I think anyone who is really afraid of spiders (DD) can tune into their movements! No good putting house spiders outside, it’s an inconvenience to them, nothing more, as they can get back inside easily, and will do ( not called house spiders for nothing.)
Fresh conkers do work, but after a while lose their scent.
Actually most strong scents deter them as they have sensitive little noses.When you have newly decorated a room, you won’t see one for ages.
I’m afraid I don’t set them free, as they breed even more spiders.
A friend has a new house (5 years) and never gets them, wish our house wasn’t an old one.

I'm not sure my hearing was ever that good, Lemongrove!

When I sit on the downstairs loo a little brown spider comes out from the cupboard under the basin. I think 'I'll catch you and put you outside' but he always manages to scuttle back under the cupboard before I can.
He's getting bigger and bigger ...

Just as I'm reading this thread, a small movement on the arm of the chair caught my attention - a little brown job is sitting there! Good job they don't bother me, I'm quite sanguine about spiders, and living alone, just as well!
Those large hairy ones that scuttle across the floor are house spiders, so don't like outdoor life, and will attempt to get back indoors again.

I thought all spiders were called 'Fred' paddyann
(don't ask me why)

I once laughed as my DD said she had heard a spider SueD she said it was walking over her books......and it really was! I wish I had hearing like that.

I'm with Fennel I love spiders when my children and GC were small we always gave them names ,we never kill them always take them outside and the kids all learned that the spiders were more frightened of them than they were of spiders.Now the problem is stopping the cat from killing them though we have managed to stop him bringing birds and mice into the house

Nope. No humane catchers here. That's too close for comfort. I try to maintain a minimum cordon sanitaire of 100meters round my house, as far as spiders are concerned.

I'll catch and release mice and moths etc, though, so I'm not a total murderer.

For dear read "dead".

I got up from sitting on the sofa. I looked around and to my horror, where I'd been sitting there was a squashed and very dear spider. ??

They do march straight back in!!

I always put spiders outside but I do wonder what happens to them then. Do they feel lost and afraid? Do they miss their family and home? Do they die of the sudden cold or get eaten? They probably just march straight back in.

"If you want to live and thrive, let the spider stay alive "

ps not that I would recommend that as a solution!

Don't kill them - or spray them - just use the humane catcher and put them outside.

They used to frighten me and I have been bitten by a large one (overseas) but I think, after that episode, British spiders no longer frighten me at all.

Yep, Fumanchu, all spiders must be made DEAD! Well, I can cope with garden spiders and money spiders but that's it.

My Dd had a huge spider in her flat recently. She heard it walking across a poly-pocket when she was filing stuff away! Actually heard it!

Err, that should have read humane. But I guess its true that the remover is human, just not me!

Really dislike them. Have a human remover, not that I actually would get close enough to use it, but it is there. I do have conkers and the spray not sure if they work but we don't get many, considering where we live.

Anyone seen "Spider" , lovely cartoon series, with great music, think it was a BBC children's programme. Available on YouTube