# A spider just scurried across my bare back in my sleep! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 25, 2007, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875 "2007-08-25T05:48:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/1 "2007-08-25T05:48:14Z")
So I’m now wide awake, juiced up on adrenaline. It’s 1:30am. I was drifting gently off to sleep when suddenly… I felt the totally unmistakable feeling of a good-sized spider crawling on the bare flesh of my back. Not that “gee what’s that tickling? maybe a spider?” feeling — this was immediately recognizable as a feeling that could only have come from a plump arachnid. :eek: [It’s not the first time.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=391444) But I learned from my prior experience. As soon as the shot of raw adrenaline hit my brain, I immediately leapt out of bed, shaking myself madly as I ran to the wall switch and bathed the room in bright light. I quickly tossed the sheets and pillows aside and… There it was! A half-inch plump little spider, the kind with dark peach fuzz on its legs, making its legs seem stubby. It looks at me and I look at it; our respective bodies tense up in preparation for “fight or flight” No time to find a shoe — I swing my fist down on the bed with intent, smashing him and leaving a coffee-colored stain on the sheet. Moments later he is wadded up in a tissue paper and tossed in the trash. Dammit! I inspected everything to see if there was another, though I doubt it. But I keep feeling strange tickles every few minutes. ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/2 "2007-08-25T06:43:56Z")
Dear Og, **minor7flat5**! The thought of that happening makes my teeth want to curl, I swear. Try to relax. I hope you can get back to sleep soon. ---
**Author:** ![dynamitedave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed655f/32.png) [@dynamitedave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dynamitedave)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/3 "2007-08-25T07:04:59Z")
Had that happen, except it landed on my face. Just clawed it off and tossed it to the other end of the room 😛 ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/4 "2007-08-25T07:24:04Z")
_shivers_ ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/5 "2007-08-25T08:03:54Z")
That’s it. Antarctica it is. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/6 "2007-08-25T14:31:01Z")
You have no choice but to find a pod in which to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/7 "2007-08-25T15:18:36Z")
I had that happen with A COCKROACH! I’m not squeamish about bugs, but that creeped me out… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/8 "2007-08-25T15:22:29Z")
[QUOTE=bigbabysweets2000] That’s it. Antarctica it is. [/QUOTE] What about the [ice spiders](http://www.regententertainment.com/pictures/Ice-Spiders.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/9 "2007-08-25T15:27:50Z")
A half-inch spider? Ha. I’d be a lot more worried about whatever was chasing it. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/10 "2007-08-25T17:43:42Z")
[QUOTE=ShibbOleth] A half-inch spider? Ha. I’d be a lot more worried about whatever was chasing it. [/QUOTE] I agree with you that the response is irrational for a half-inch spider, and I might behave differently if the same spider were on my arm in broad daylight, but it was in the middle of the night and I was in bed! Whenever I go to Brazil I check in on the [spiders behind my wife’s aunt’s house](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/minor7flat5/spider1a.jpg) (about 3"). Fortunately, they tend to stay under the eaves and don’t venture in the house. [Here’s a shot of it clinging to a 1" piece of bamboo](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/minor7flat5/spider2a.jpg) If one of _those_ ever dropped on me in the night while we were sleeping there, I would be in therapy for life. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/11 "2007-08-25T18:16:39Z")
Why did I click on those links? Why? _frantically searches self for large spiders_ ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/12 "2007-08-25T18:35:23Z")
[QUOTE=minor7flat5] I agree with you that the response is irrational for a half-inch spider, and I might behave differently if the same spider were on my arm in broad daylight, but it was in the middle of the night and I was in bed! Whenever I go to Brazil I check in on the [spiders behind my wife’s aunt’s house](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/minor7flat5/spider1a.jpg) (about 3"). Fortunately, they tend to stay under the eaves and don’t venture in the house. [Here’s a shot of it clinging to a 1" piece of bamboo](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/minor7flat5/spider2a.jpg) If one of _those_ ever dropped on me in the night while we were sleeping there, I would be in therapy for life. [/QUOTE] Wow, pretty spider. I wouldn’t want one in my shoe or anything, but it’s a pretty looking creature. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/13 "2007-08-25T19:17:24Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Wow, pretty spider. I wouldn’t want one in my shoe or anything, but it’s a pretty looking creature. [/QUOTE] _puts large spider in **LOUNE** ’s shoe_ ---
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/14 "2007-08-25T22:22:55Z")
Oh I was once in bed, half awake, when I saw something fall from the ceiling and land on my thigh. My bare thigh. It was **WARNING–BIG CREEPY BUG ALERT** [one of these](http://bugguide.net/node/view/53299). _cries_ I already had a phobia of these things that somehow kept getting in the house…this didn’t fucking help. I slept in the living room for the next several days. Oh, and that pic doesn’t begin to show how huge those bastards are. Oh, and they fly. Or try to. Their girth doesn’t allow them much control. ☹ :mad: Thanks for reminding me of this, **minor7flat5**. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/15 "2007-08-25T22:24:29Z")
Spiders are cool. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/16 "2007-08-26T01:59:41Z")
I have a theory that spiders and insects crawl across us at night a lot more frequently than we’d like to know. Why wouldn’t they, after all? They don’t know we’re creeped out by it, they just want to get across the room somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/17 "2007-08-26T19:03:01Z")
Here’s a handy chart for spider some NA spider identification. [spider id chart](http://www.termite.com/spider-identification.html) When I lived on the Olympic Peninsula, I had both hobo spiders and wolf spiders in the house – levitated off of the toilet when I saw one that seemed six inches across (but probably had a legspan of only 2 and half inches…but the body was about an inch, I swear) one the floor between my feet. I may have been bitten by a hobo when i put on a jacket I hadn’t worn in a a year or so. I didn’t feel the bite at the time, but later, my elbow was swollen to twice its size, hot and feverish. It was an area were I had thickened skin, however, so I couldn’t see the bite holes clearly, and probably didn’t get a full discharge of venom. Spiders. Yeesh. Oh, yeah, one of the BIG wolf spiders did crawl across the bed inches from my face one night. I was too sleepy to freak out. Anyway, I think they hunt and kill venomous hobos, so more power to them. Now that I’m back east, the spiders are smaller, but I freak out more. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/18 "2007-08-26T19:25:16Z")
[QUOTE=SnakesCatLady] _puts large spider in **LOUNE** ’s shoe_ [/QUOTE] Eek! Nah, I kid. I don’t want to discover that the spider is in my shoe…with my foot. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/19 "2007-08-26T20:19:33Z")
[QUOTE=Tapiotar] Here’s a handy chart for spider some NA spider identification. [spider id chart](http://www.termite.com/spider-identification.html) [/QUOTE] Neat site, but whoever made it is a bastard for animating the Huntsman Spider. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875/20 "2007-08-26T22:13:51Z")
I’ve just had one run down my arm!! Aaaaiiiiiiieeeeeeeeee!!! I _think_ **Bonzer’s** recovered his hearing again. Not so sure about the spider though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-spider-just-scurried-across-my-bare-back-in-my-sleep/416875.md?page=2)