How are you coping with spider season?

 

I wouldn't say I'm afraid of spiders. I just don't like sharing my bed with one. Or ten, which is about how many I've seen prancing around the house in the past 24 hours.

Last night I was curled up under the covers, just getting into my crisp new copy of Julie and Julia. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a black object race across our cream coloured carpet, quickly disappearing under the chest of drawers.

Surely that's not a spider. It's too big. OMG, it IS a spider. A huge black one with a fat hairy body the size of a 10P coin. My mind sped along -- did it spend its childhood in my room? How long does it take for a spider to get to that size? Are there (gasp) more of them?! I could just see a family of chunky spiders in the closet, deciding if their nightly entertainment should be duvet crawling or ceiling acrobatics...

Initially I stayed still in bed, planning my next move and waiting for the spider to emerge, the copy of Julie and Julia stuck on page 12.

Then I ran downstairs and rummaged through the utility cupboard. There must be some somewhere. No, no, that's not it. What is this doing here (tub of Pringles). Oh, that's where the sun cream is. This will have to do. I pulled out a rusty can of wasp and fly killer.

I went back upstairs and sprayed the space under the dresser, the oddly pleasant smell of soapy chemicals filling the room. My nemesis came out gasping for air and I followed him down the hall, with my finger firmly pressed on the nozzle, directing a steady stream of white foam. Soon he looked like a flocked Christmas tree. Surely he would keel over any minute. But no, the damn thing kept moving!

Hubby commented that the bug spray was doing more harm than the little spider. Then he said I am teaching the girls to be unnecessarily afraid of them. I just flashed him a fake smile and asked him to get rid of it.  Please.

We had to sleep with the windows open.

While we slept the spider contacted his extended family and they launched an all-out attack on the crazy woman with the out-of-date bug killer. This morning I found little wispy web strings connecting my laptop to the desk in an obvious attempt to make my most valued possession unusable. When that didn't work, they tried scare tactics and another whopper charged me at full speed. After nearly spilling my coffee, I beat it with the only thing I could think of, my lambskin slippers. I am leaving it in situ until hubby comes home.

Anyone else enjoying spider season?

Comments

[lorraine]

I am absolutely petrified of spiders and have so far had to deal with 4 of them, all of course the size of giant tarantulas...when I told my hubby who is away at he moment that I feared one of them might eat our toddler, he just laughed at me....bloody men!!!

[Kitschy Coo]

We're also under attack. The night before last one ran across the printer and disappeared and yesterday I had to surreptitiously kill a big one running full pelt towards the toilet while the boy was having a poo. Fun and games.

[Very Bored Housewife]

Saw a few whilst back in the UK recently, have to say though we don't get those big horrible bugger over here in Spain, and I'd rather have to deal with mosquitoes then spiders. *shudders*.

[Jennie]

I'm trying not to think about the inevitable pick up in numbers of spiders in my house. However, eldest son has just been watching a programme about the 60 deadliest creatures and came to tell me AT LENGTH about blak widow spiders. Lovely. My skin is crawling!!

[cartside]

We always have a massive spider under the fridge who comes out occasionally at night time.

We always catch it and set it free outside. I shouldn't say we, I'm petrified so hubby does it.

And there's always another one the same size not so long after. Maybe I should tag it to see if it's the same one?

Are these big spiders native to the UK only? I've never seen one that size either in Germany or Spain.

[Potty Mummy]

It's Autumn, always spider-fest time. I'm not keen and have worked hard to hide my natural fear of them, but even so Boy #2 is showing worrying signs of panic every time he sees a web. Which, living in a basement, happens a fair bit!

[Mwa]

I used to be really scared of them, but then I learned to put them under a glass and slide a card under, then take them outside. It helped a lot. I think it's what they do in desensitisation therapy.

[A Modern Mother]

Loraine -- tarrantula is a great description!

Kitchy -- glad it's not just me.

Very Bored -- mosquitoes are just as bad, buzzing around by your ear all night...

Jenny -- hopefully not black widows snuck into our luggage on the way back frpom California... but you never know

Cartside -- I do think the spiders in the UK are abnormally large...

Potty -- willyou be living in a basement in Russia?

Mwa -- maybe I should keep a glass by my bed...

[Brit in Bosnia]

The dog chases them here. Lots of barking and jumping up and down on the spot whereupon everyone gets down to try and see the spider. I don't mind them so much, but would prefer that they weren't around...

[texasgal]

I don't like the affront the webs are to my very (cough, cough) pristine housekeeping. I like keeping them in my vacuum cleaner. A little less humane than the glass and card method. Hopefully more effective at preventing the eggs from hatching.
The UK may not be as big into Halloween as the US, but by October the cobwebs provide authentic decorating for the season.

[Jane]

I couldn't get past the 3rd para of your post - so I guess that means I AM afraid of spiders!! LOL

[A Modern Mother]

Brit --Maybe I should get a dog, or even better, a snake

Texas Girl -- a vacuum cleaner is a good idea -- nice to see you here

Jane -- I couldn't get passed it either!

[Metropolitan Mum]

I hate hate hate spiders, and yes, I believe too that there is an abnormal species developing on the British island. One of those you described in your post once crawled over my face (!). It woke me and was staring at me, sitting on my pillow. I killed it with the duvet. HA!

[A Modern Mother]

Met -- I shudder to think...

[Tammy]

I do have to say that as much as I miss England, I am NOT missing the ginormous spiders!!! Of course, as soon as I write this one will make his appearance:)

My solution~~~if hubby is not home~~~is the vacuum. I figure if they stay outside where they belong I do not bother them, but if they venture into MY territory, it's fair game!!!!

Good luck!

Tammy

[Marilyn @Naturalmat]

I have noticed a few recently as well but had never heard of SPIDER SEASON?!

When does it end???

[TooManyHats]

First of all, isn't that why we have husbands, to get rid of things like that?! Tell yours he needs to step it up. We seem to have a population growth of something every year. One year it was black widows another cricket. You don't want to know what it is this year. And of course when there is a population explosion outside, some seem to creep in the house.

[Kassia]

Yes, we're also under attack. I put a glass over the top of them so they can't escape and then leave them for my husband to deal with.

Even if it means I have to step over the glas in the door way from 9:45am to 6:30pm as I did last Friday.

[amy]

lol! I'm not a big fab of spiders but i will squish one if it comes near to my babies, and don't those buggers move fast!!

[Antonella]

I'm not fond of spiders but I hate killing them. Someone told me that killing spiders brings bad luck (probably my enthomologist friend who loves them!!!). I suppose it depends on their size after all. But I hate wasps and stinkbugs more. Hope the spider population in your area will decrease soon. All the best. Ciao. A.

[A Modern Mother]

Tammy-- yes, the Dyson is out!

Marilyn -- not soon enough

Too -- yes, that is one of many uses for hubbies

Kaissa -- LOL!

Amy -- yes they do

Antonella -- Uh, oh, I'm in trouble then

[Pippa]

One of my cousins posted a FB status update asking her husband to come home to rescue her from a spider.

One of my other cousins who moved to Australia when he was 'ickle commented she should be pleased it wasn't an Aussie Spider...

Spiders don't seem that bad here right now do they!

[Olina]

No spiders here in California, but Houdini moths in the kitchen cabinets!

[A Modern Mother]

Pippa -- LOL!

Olina -- and ants!

[Liz]

I hate spiders too, more because Kian (my 20month old) has taken a liking to finding and eating them!

Argh! Wasps are the devil for me at the moment though, swatter and spray at the ready!”

[MissSearles]

There are spiders everywhere in our house at the moment and I hate it (so much so that my dislike of spiders ahs been a topic for my fiance to blog about...he thinks it hilarious!)
We're decorating one of our rooms at the moment and a massive one ran out from under a pile of wallpaper towards me so i refused to go back into the room until evey inch of the floor was free from wallpaper just so i could check there were no more!

[Ju]

My husband just informed you that his mate showed him two spider bites on his hand. The spider was in his bed. He lives in Surrey, but WTF? English spiders bite? I'm already petrified of the 8 legs buggers but now Ive been walking around with a brumstick just in case. They usually go by winter.

[Treemama]

thanking God they don't bother me because it does seem to be spiderfest here this year, everybody keeps talking about how much more their are.

the funny thing was as I read this post, Emily yelled from the backyard, Mommy, come here there's a spider on the trampoline!

Remind me never to cross you!

[A Modern Mother]

Liz -- Uggh!

[A Modern Mother]

Miss S -- I'm with you there!

Ju -- yikes, they bite too?

Tree-- yup, don't cross me ;-)

[Rosie Scribble]

I am not coping with the spider season AT ALL. In facy I'm HATING IT and I want to move house because they seem to be everywhere. I want to live a modern house not an old one which seems to have holes everywhere for spiders to live in, although by the sound of your comments everyone is suffering. I've even left all the plug holes in so no can climb through, but there was still a huge one on the bath last night.

And we have a wasp's nest in our roof!!!!

[Jo Beaufoix]

I'm coping, but I don't like it. It's funny, Rosie (Scribble) and I were discussing this very thing earlier. They are everywhere, and I don't care if it's a sign of a healthy atmosphere, I don't want them in my house. And now I'm a single mum I have to be the brave one. Tsk. Now I need to check all the corners of the room before I go to bed. Yuck. :D

[Woman Who Can]

I found one on my bath towel 2 years ago, but only noticed when I started drying myself. The horror never leaves you, so now I wreak my revenge by hitting them with my trainers

[sarah collister]

Oh my goodness, just seen the previous comment and it has reminded me about my little one! He is 8 months old, and the other day I walked in to the living room to see him having a staring contest with a huge spider (obviously related the the other tarantulas that some of you have at your houses!). I was completely freaked out, but my boy then went to grab the spider - I can only assume it was going to be put in his mouth like everything else he grabs! I screamed at him so loudly that the spider dashed off under the sofa and my little one started to cry. Oh well, as long as he wasn't eating a spider!!!

[Emma]

Im not coping at all!!
Last night in bed , the other half pointed out a tiny spider on the ceiling.. I freaked out!!
Refuse to go to sleep or let him sleep unless he got rid of it!!!

[Rebel Mother]

Your spider looks quite friendly - I have some big, scary bugs at home that scurry along the carpet at an alarming rate. Hoover time!

RMxx

[Liz]

I've heard that killing spiders brings bad luck too - maybe it's just one of those great lies to tell small kids?

I have to do all the spider fighting in our house, Sinbad the Sailor style. I find the glass/piece of paper approach works best (I use it for bees and wasps, too).

I think that new spider is supposed to be in Cornwall and other coastal areas...

[A Modern Mother]

Woman who can -- good use for trainers

Sarah - yuk!

Emma-yikes!

Rebel - you said it!

Liz - I think I'm out of luck!

[Fanciful Alice]

This is hilarious ... Just the other night I was sat in bed reading when a spider - very boldly - just strolled on up to my hand and peeked at my book as if to say "what ya readin lady?" I nearly died.

But that is nothing compared to the HUGE one that was literally crawling on my face as I put the curtains up a few weeks back. My husband offered no support and instead, upon seeing it, screamed louder than me "OH MY GOD - THAT'S ****** HUGE!" Nothing like a bit of trying to make me feel better then ;-)

I don't hate spiders, I just don't want them nesting in my hair - but we are slowly starting to come to a kind of peaceful living arrangement.

[A Modern Mother]

Fanciful - I don't know your hubby but I can just picture the scene!

[Snafflesmummy]

i think i swallowed one in my sleep! i woke up coughing and cpluttering with something tickling the back of my throat!