# First giant house spider of the season **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 7, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978 "2012-09-07T13:43:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [September 7, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/1 "2012-09-07T13:43:50Z")
[Great googley images!](http://www.google.com/search?q=giant+house+spider&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=7Ef&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=np&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=HfdJUNbZLcvwiQLKnIFA&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1645&bih=1092) I’m on the couch last night, and the SO went to the toilet. Suddenly I heard a scream. The scream was followed by ‘Spider! _Big_ spider! Bathroom! Sink!’ Yep, there was a GHS under the lip of the sink. I opened the cupboard and got out the penalty jar, caught it, and took to the front door to release it outside. E-_victed!_ Nice polite spider. Didn’t have to put the lid on the jar. He just sat there nicely until I dumped him. SO asked what kind of spider it was, and I told her it was a giant house spider. She was like, ‘I can see that!’ I told her that’s what they’re called. I said, ‘It must be September. That’s when they start coming out.’ I told her they’re harmless and non-aggressive. She said, ‘I’m sure they are, but they look like tarantulas! Now I’m afraid to sit down!’ Then she looked at the cat and asked him why _he_ wasn’t doing his job and catching it. Anyway, we found our first GHS of the season. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/2 "2012-09-07T13:53:46Z")
I’d burn the house down and move to Yellowknife. (((Willies))) ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/3 "2012-09-07T14:02:33Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > SO asked what kind of spider it was, and I told her it was a giant house spider. Pray she doesn’t encounter a [clock spider.](http://www.nightmare-fuel.com/clock-spider/) ---
**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:** [September 7, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/4 "2012-09-07T14:03:59Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Pray she doesn’t encounter a [clock spider.](http://www.nightmare-fuel.com/clock-spider/) Yeah, we don’t have those up here. GHSs are about as ‘giant’ as we get. ---
**Author:** ![getitrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@getitrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/getitrite)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/5 "2012-09-07T15:48:27Z")
Yes it is time, but though I allow all spiders to live outside, if they advance on me to the point that they are in my house, and are caught in their acts of insubordination, then the punishment is the bang stick (flyswatter) and It goes bang. There a limits, however the little black spider that lives just past the window, has had a very good life this year, enjoyed watching her and her being all spiderery. ---
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/6 "2012-09-07T15:55:51Z")
Spiders go squish inside the house and politely moved out of the way if in the way outside. Except the spider in the garage the other day. It was close enough to the open garage door that I moved it outside on a stick and informed it that it would be much happier in the bush. ---
**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:** [September 7, 2012, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/7 "2012-09-07T16:27:25Z")
> [@getitrite](#): > > Yes it is time, but though I allow all spiders to live outside, if they advance on me to the point that they are in my house, and are caught in their acts of insubordination, then the punishment is the bang stick (flyswatter) and It goes bang. GHSs live in houses, so I’m probably not doing them any favours by putting them outside. But at least they stand a better chance than if they were subjected to an immediate squishing. So I put them in the penalty jar, where they have to spend a time-out until I get around to releasing them outdoors. Anyway, they’re perfectly welcome to live _under_ the house. Such consideration does not extend to insects; though if I were to find a ladybug or praying mantis indoors, I’d catch them and release them to better hunting grounds. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/8 "2012-09-07T17:22:47Z")
These damn things have terrorized me for years and I never knew their proper name. Thanks. Though I will probably still call them “those huge bastards” or something. ---
**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:** [September 7, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/9 "2012-09-07T17:43:19Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > These damn things have terrorized me for years and I never knew their proper name. Thanks. Though I will probably still call them “those huge bastards” or something. According to Wiki, they don’t live in Floradarrrrrrrr. They’re native to northwestern Europe, and were introduced to the Pacific Northwest c. 1900. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/10 "2012-09-07T17:55:36Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > According to Wiki, they don’t live in Floradarrrrrrrr. They’re native to northwestern Europe, and were introduced to the Pacific Northwest c. 1900. Bleh…I was going to do some Internet searches to figure out what these huge bastards are then, but it turns out I have reached my daily tolerance limit for looking at pictures of spiders. But ours are giant, and too frequently in the house! ---
**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:** [September 7, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/11 "2012-09-07T18:01:28Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Bleh…I was going to do some Internet searches to figure out what these huge bastards are then… [Southern](http://www.google.com/search?q=%22southern+house+spider%22&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=3Pj&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=np&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=0zVKULStFMT2iwLqkoGgAg&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1645&bih=1092) [house](http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/spiders/southern_house_spider.htm) [spider](http://www.floridanature.org/species.asp?species=Kukulcania_hibernalis)? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/12 "2012-09-08T00:19:21Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Then she looked at the cat and asked him why _he_ wasn’t doing his job and catching it. Because your cat knows, as you do, that a GHS will flip you off as it carries your dog out the door. But I really posted to complain about the google images. We want pictures of your actual GHS. ---
**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:** [September 8, 2012, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/13 "2012-09-08T00:23:40Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > We want pictures of your actual GHS. I didn’t take a picture of this one. But [here](http://www.flickr.com/photos/27492458@N05/6102270164/in/photostream) is [one](http://www.flickr.com/photos/27492458@N05/6102270156/in/photostream) I caught last year. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/14 "2012-09-08T00:45:56Z")
Oh, [that’s actually their name](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_house_spider). I learned something new today! However, I feel obligated to point out a factual inconsistency in that article. Wikipedia says, “this species does not pose a threat to humans or pets.” But later in the article, it says, “Males can often be seen wandering around houses during the late summer and early autumn looking for a mate.” What if it looks at me!? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/15 "2012-09-08T04:06:54Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > But later in the article, it says, “Males can often be seen wandering around houses during the late summer and early autumn looking for a mate.” What if it looks at me!? Close your eyes, run in place, and scream like a chicken. Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/16 "2012-09-08T04:14:41Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > Oh, [that’s actually their name](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_house_spider). I learned something new today! > > However, I feel obligated to point out a factual inconsistency in that article. Wikipedia says, “this species does not pose a threat to humans or pets.” But later in the article, it says, “Males can often be seen wandering around houses during the late summer and early autumn looking for a mate.” What if it looks at me!? talk about marriage, responsibility, your black widow heritage - it will quickly run the other way. ---
**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:** [September 8, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/17 "2012-09-08T14:57:38Z")
From elsewhere: > [@arachnologus](#): > > They don’t have any brains. They don’t know they’re not going to find a mate in the living room. Or the bathroom. 😛 > [@Rachellelogram](#): > > Oh, [that’s actually their name](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_house_spider). I learned something new today! Yeah, they’re not particularly ‘giant’. They’re just bigger than most house spiders around here. . ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/18 "2012-09-08T15:26:07Z")
Please remember that Giant House Spiders are very closely related to Hobo Spiders (same genus), which are dangerous to humans… and they inhabit the same general geographic regions. Unless you are really good at spotting the difference between the two, I’d treat them all as if they were Hobos and kill them. And I’m generally sympathetic to spiders and let them just roam around my house. ---
**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:** [September 8, 2012, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/19 "2012-09-08T15:41:41Z")
I am convinced the spiders I find here are GHSs and not hobo spiders. I’m not 100% certain, but I’m certain enough. I don’t know if GHSs prey on hobo spiders, or just compete with them for food. Either way, I’ve been told that where there are GHSs there will not likely be hobo spiders. So I’m happy to let them live. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/20 "2012-09-08T16:01:15Z")
And yet more evidence that I’m about the only person on this board who actually _likes_ spiders. Not tolerates them, but actually likes them. As in, when I see a spider in my living space, I’m happy about it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978.md?page=2)