I KNOW its stupid but -

[Huggy]

I am terrified of spiders, I don't kill them if I can help it, but I LOATHE them. We are getting bloody tarantula sized buggers every damn day. I know they can't hurt me, I know they kill insects etc etc but PLEASE don't come in my house. They're bloody fast too. Just lost one upstairs, so big, that if he'd had whites in his eyes, I'd have seen them. Bleugh! Can't sleep now. It headed out the bathroom towards the bedroom and I swear I can hear him scratching at the door.....

 

[Jessey]

I'm not terrified of them but not keen and I have been having some really big ones in the house the last month or so, the size of the palm of my hand big! I normally just catch them and pop them outside, but the other night I saw one on my way to the loo, then forgot to get him out and I've not seen him since, so I just know he's mooching around the house somewhere and I find that a bit unnerving

 

[Trewsers]

Oh it's not nice being afraid of them. I like them and see them as smaller animals, made them less scary!! We used to get whoppers living near a railway line years ago and I just got used to them. I try not to kill anything - but I do understand wanting to be rid and catching them to put outside. Trouble is, we had one that came back in. I would put it out but it reappeared in the bathroom the next evening. I gave up in the end and I think it lived out its days in the beams over the bath!!!

 

[chunky monkey]

You need a dog. Mine collie kills them. But she tortures them first. One last night ran across the kitchen floor. It didnt get very far before she had it in her mouth. She squishes in her mouth them then drops them. I guess shes not a fan of the texture of legs. She then stands looking at it. If it moves she grabs it again for another chomp. If it doesnt she will test it by pawing it with her foot.
She is a good ceiling inspector too. If there up there she will whine until we get the cobweb brush out and brush them down. She then goes in for the kill.
A one of the places I work theres been one on the window in his web for several weeks. He had a moth the other week. His body is humongous. I reckon his getting ready to have babies as hes got fatter each week. If hes still there tomorrow when I go I'll get a picture. I promise you hes scary. Fortunately it is attached to the window frame outside. I certainly wont be opening the window any time soon.

 

[Ruskii]

Huggy, I'm not too far from you I think. We're also getting massive ones in the house, I found one in my daughters bed the other night! She saw it, but was OK about it, I quickly snatched it up in my hand and chucked it out her window.

 

[GaryB]

I *hate* spiders - its a bit of an ongoing joke at the stables where we have one or two!

 

[Huggy]

I usually catch them in a glass, and put them out, but if they come at me they're toast. It doesn't help that I've had them drop onto my head twice in the last few years. One dropped off Ramseys rug when I was under him doing up the straps - I went shrieking round his stable tearing off my jacket as it had gone down my neck. Ramsey just stood there looking at me "Sheesh woman - what the hell.....?"The other one dropped on as I came in the back door - didn't realise what it was til I looked in the mirror - cue shrieking. Silly thing is though - I'm not bothered by daddy long legs, or moths, or bees and wasps. Go figure.

 

[Jessey]

Septemeber is what I call spidey month in the forest, it's the only time I ride with a whip and that's just so I can hold it out in front of my face (upside-down), they make massive webs right across even the biggest tracks. I have got much better with spiders since living here because when you get one in the face while riding you can't really run around screaming

One got me last week, Jess was marching, I wasn't quick enough with my whip, felt the web across my face, looked down and saw a big fat spider running across my shoulder, flapping trying to get it off and fighting to stop Jess all at once, sent spider down to my thigh, turned the air blue yelling at Jess who then stood stock still as she realized the gravity of the situation, and finally I managed to flick it off. My heart is racing just thinking about it again

 

[domane]

I used to be terrified but as I've got older the fear has lessened. We live in a 17th century converted coach house with lots of beams so unfortunately spiders are common place. I think we have had a big spider in our bath for 8 of the last 10 nights!! If they run across the carpet towards me I still shriek and call for Dom but these days I'm capable of putting a glass over the top and sliding a piece of card underneath and removing it..... but equally I'll hoover it up, given half the chance! I would scream if one was on me though!

Last week I was laying in bed reading and out of the corner of my eye I saw one make a run for it across the carpet and under my bed. Years ago I wouldn't have been able to sleep but I figure that it probably happens hundreds of times in the dark!

 

[MrC]

They are my irrational fear. My friend got me a spider grabber as he was sick of getting the hysterical calls to come get it if my dad etc were out. It’s quite a handy thing doesn’t hurt them and means I don’t have to get too close to put them out.

I’ve been putting strong peppermint oil in all my window seals and in the seals of my doors and so far I haven’t seen any big ones. They don’t seem to like it and so cars it’s keeping them out and my house smells lovely

 

[joellie]

I can't do spiders, I am not as bad as I once was but they still give me the heebie jeebies
I fell in an ants nest when I was very little and they were all over me, I think that's why I was so terrified of creepy crawlies.

 

[Huggy]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one! The YO has no patience with me, and I always feel like a doofus when I freak out. I must get me one of those spider grabber thingys - just what I need!

 

[Huggy]

You need a dog. Mine collie kills them. But she tortures them first. One last night ran across the kitchen floor. It didnt get very far before she had it in her mouth. She squishes in her mouth them then drops them. I guess shes not a fan of the texture of legs. She then stands looking at it. If it moves she grabs it again for another chomp. If it doesnt she will test it by pawing it with her foot.
She is a good ceiling inspector too. If there up there she will whine until we get the cobweb brush out and brush them down. She then goes in for the kill.
A one of the places I work theres been one on the window in his web for several weeks. He had a moth the other week. His body is humongous. I reckon his getting ready to have babies as hes got fatter each week. If hes still there tomorrow when I go I'll get a picture. I promise you hes scary. Fortunately it is attached to the window frame outside. I certainly wont be opening the window any time soon.

I've shown them to Alfie - he just looks and goes "Yeah - so?" But he's weird - doesn't chase balls or rabbits or sticks - nothing.

 

[OwnedbyChanter]

I am not a fan but have got better as I get older. My old dog use to catch them until he got a bite then would not go near them. Vida likes to chase them but I would feel bad if she got one. I can leave the small ones but the big buggers you lot are talking about I can't have in the house.

 

[Toz]

I know how you feel, I don’t mind spiders too much although big ones do have to be chucked outside with a glass and card but I can handle that. I detest, really really detest caterpillars though. One morning last autumn or early winter- unsure when but not summer when I think they will be around I walked out of the bedroom in the dark, turned a light on and must have almost stood on a huge black caterpillar in the house. Totally freaked me out and of course I then had the fear of where it came from, why and were there more! Gave me nightmares

 

[Trewsers]

We had a whopper in the tack room at our last house. Even my very very insect loving / brave no no nonsense mother didn't like the look of her!

 

[Dolly gray]

Don't like spiders but do not kill them but blimey last night just going to turn lights out when a monster galloped up the bed it disappeared and I got OH up to find it wasn't going to sleep until it was gone.

 

[Huggy]

We had two under the guttering on the garage for weeks, one huge and one slightly less so. Big one was Boris, not so big was Bob. They co-existed for ages, then one evening there's Boris eating Bob. I can deal with them outside, watch this space for the next monster I'll no doubt see tonight. They're flipping everywhere.

 

[Huggy]

For crying out loud - this one was so big, it only just fitted in the damn glass. Why do they come out when OH has gone to bed?

 

[Trewsers]

Oh heck, I swear they look worse in the glass, maybe it magnifies them.....................they really don't worry me but I can see why you'd be bothered. They are coming for the winter...............................