Too many spiders

pigpen

smileyt wrote: »

Apparently they come indoors at this time of year looking for a mate. Ladies, they are looking for luuuurve, they are being romantic .....

Fortunately these are usually the female ones this time of year so they can go chase OH!!

greenbee

I'm phobic too, and although I don't like killing things, sometimes this is the only way to deal with the problem. Remember, if you're phobic, being able to kill them is actually a huge achievement. Leaving the house and never going back can seem perfectly sensible... Arachnaphobia is one of the most primitive phobias and is most often a genetic inheritance rather than learned behaviour (which is why siblings can often have different responses).

Some zoos run desensitisation therapy for those who find it is seriously impacting their lives.

For those who find it hard to understand, think about things you don't like... I can pick up snakes and deal quite happily with mice and rats, which are other things many people are phobic about. And I know that there are people who are phobic about things like nail files and lolly sticks... There is always a reason, and empathy and assistance in developing coping mechanisms are more product than just saying 'don't kill them, they don't do any harm'.

Apparently they don't like chestnut wood or conkers, and some people say citrus or eucalyptus oils help. Filling holes and cracks also helps.

When I first got my ultrasonic gadgets, the friend who was here when they were switched on was very sceptical (I left the house as you can see more initially) but went to the loo one night and saw spiders heading for the door! I now have one upstairs and one down, as well as decorative conkers around the house . I also clean with essential oils, particularly window and door frames. It may or may not work.

I have also dealt with the damp problem in the house, and numbers have gone down. And I've got rid of a lot of clutter... There are fewer places for them to hide..

Carolyntia

smileyt wrote: »

I have trained myself over the years not to screech when I see one. I usually put a glass over it, go away and compose myself, and then slide a bit of cardboard under the glass and take the spider outside. They give me the creeps but I won't kill them. On the other hand, I don't mind them if they're outside.QUOTE]

I'm the same as you smileyt and have now got to the point where I can evict the little devils using the pint glass and card method. However there was one huge beastie which I had trouble getting a pint glass over and then it started jumping and rocking the glass :eek:
I had to walk away and calm myself again. By the time I'd got back I'm sure it was glaring at me and tapping it's foot waiting to be shown the door.

Hobsons_Choice

Went to bed last night, lifted up the pillow to get at my pjs and.......yes, you've guessed it!
Had about two hours sleeps all night, and now I'm starting a cold.
I'm blaming those arachnoids for everything!

movnik894

I am so glad its not just me! When I saw the first one come marching in a couple of days ago, i freaked!
Its good to know that it is a sign summer is over (sorry, looking forward to xmas already!), but when I find one almost every day, it creeps me out and I have been get huuuge ones!
I thought that I had a problem with nests or something, but I live in a ground floor flat of a house and read somewhere that they usually nest in roofs?
Anyhow, I am sorry to say that I use the squish with a flip flop method. I am stupidly scared of them and even to manage to accidentally touch one that was casually hanging on a door handle. I didnt realise until it when running, shocked after me grabbing it! I can't tell you how high I jumped and the swear words that came out of me!
I am now using citronella like crazy. Irony is, its been warmer, past couple days, and I think they tend to go in peoples house more when its colder? Anyway, am burning citronella essential oil, mixing with water and spraying on walls, floors, etc.
Fingers crossed! Am guessing that sooner or later I will become less scared the more i see. Still dont like their wiggly legs tho!

jpscloud

Poor Boris! I think this has turned into a "one hundred ways to obliterate a scary spider" thread! I don't think we can really say why they are seen more in some houses and not others, except that some places suit them better than others - such as availability of places to lurk, and food. They are there all year round, usually unnoticed.

This is the start of their mating season, so the reason we see them more in autumn is that they're all out on the pull. They eat little critters we can't see/don't notice, that also inhabit our houses, so they're not all bad.

I try not to kill most things, and I tend to leave even the giant scary spiders alone provided they're not in the bedrooms. I'm sorry to say my cat eats them, though. Actually, maybe I'm not that sorry, but I don't celebrate their demise, especially when my cat makes those horrible lip smacking crunchy noises eating them!

raven83

Its the big body ones that get me!!!!! ewwwwww.

delain

My OH told me when I got back from the shop a couple of weeks ago that one of the monsters ran across our floor with the baby in hot persuit... I dread to think what she'd have done to it, probably taken a bite :eek::eek: it got away though, probably the one and only time I've been pleased to hear that!

OH killed one on the bedroom wall (he was annoyed I made him get out of bed to do it) and he just left it there for two years!

This is after my worst day ever when I was cleaning a bedroom and put my hand under the bed to remove all the junk to find another giant one he'd squashed and left, stuck to my hand :eek::eek:_pale_

Lozzy88

I have a massive phobia to the point where i used to freeze when i seen one, then cry hysterically, now that i have a almost 3 year old i dont scream or shout because i dont want her to be scared.

My phobia is really bad if one is on the wall no one is allowed in the room till OH gets home and he will put it out the back if its big and on the floor same again.

As soon as i notice one even if its a small one i tuck my jeans in to my socks put on my old trainers lace them up really tight, and pretend like i`m brave enough to stand on it, but i never am, it just makes me feel better knowing if it launched at me it couldnt crawl up my leg or touch my skin.

I shake everything out before i use it or iron it, i make my OH pull out the bed every night before i get in it and i pull back pillows/cover and check the full room, i do the same with my daughters bed but she never sees me doing this, i usually do this while shes brushing her teeth.

I get very stressed if i see one, and as for the person that said they hoover them up, that made me have goosepimples i just thing it would find its way out and strike back. if there was a way to rid all creepy crawlys from the house i would be really greatful of it.

beemuzed

I heard the conkers one ages ago and as we have a large horsechestnut tree in the garden it was easy enough to just leave a few conkers in the bathroom where most of the local spiders gather (or so it seem!). Anyway, it seemed to work as no spiders that year! An ealy poster mentioned a horsechestnut spray, so I guess that figures. Need to find some fresh conkers now as there have been some gigantic specimens here in the past few days!