# 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:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![colonial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@colonial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colonial)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/21 "2012-09-08T16:01:58Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > 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!’ Tell dipswitch to get over it, and take care of her own spider problems. Might not hurt to let her know how lucky she is not live in Australia, where they have spiders which can _really_ do some damage: [The Australian Funnel-web Spider](http://australianmuseum.net.au/Funnel-web-Spiders-Group) (from link): > [@](#): > > Not all species are known to be dangerous, but several are renowned for their **highly toxic and fast acting venom**. The male of Atrax robustus, the Sydney Funnel-web Spider, is probably **responsible for** all **recorded deaths (13) and many medically serious bites**. This remarkable spider has become a part of Sydney’s folklore and, although no deaths have been recorded since the introduction of an antivenom in 1981, it remains **an icon of fear and fascination** for Sydneysiders. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/22 "2012-09-08T17:26:27Z")
I didn’t know you had them in the states. They are common in the UK and this time of year they start getting mobile and freaking people out. I know they aren’t massive, nor dangerous but Christ they are\* fast\*. I’m not scared of spiders but something that quick seems always to be on the brink of going for your throat - “8 legged freaks” style ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/23 "2012-09-08T18:37:10Z")
> [@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. They must not live here in MN yet, because I’ve never seen one. Pretty cool spider, though. We get a lot of “black crunchy spiders” in our house along with harvestmen, but they never get bigger than about 3 cm (legs included). We generally let them live unless they’re on the ceiling, but I will vacuum them up if I come across them while I’m cleaning. ---
**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, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/24 "2012-09-08T19:51:00Z")
Oh, re: hobo spiders. There are false black widows (_Steatoda_) in the house. I understand they prey on hobo spiders. They stay out of sight (like, under the couch I’m on now), so I leave them alone. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/25 "2012-09-08T20:18:12Z")
> [@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. I call them baby motherfucking tarantulas, and they meet a twitchy death by Raid when I find them in my home. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/26 "2012-09-10T17:16:40Z")
Good christ. \ ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/27 "2012-09-10T19:02:30Z")
Fellow Seattle-ite… These spiders are quite smart and seem to know their territory well. A simple relocation to the back yard is often insufficient, and they’ll crawl back “home” in a matter of minutes. They are especially fond of bathtubs. The most recent one I found was big and determined enough to scoot the tupperware a little bit that I dropped over it. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/28 "2012-09-10T22:29:20Z")
Those freaks are just another reason I’m glad I moved to Denver. Arachnis Giganticus Motherfuckus apparently can’t thrive at altitude or something because I haven’t been horrified by an 8-legger since I’ve been here. Either that or…the elevated UV here has rendered them invisible. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/29 "2012-09-11T02:39:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > 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. I’m with you! The only spiders I don’t allow in the house are the black widows - they’re not likely to do a whole lot of damage to the people, but since they could really hurt or even kill a cat, they have to live away from the pets. We don’t have anything nearly that impressive around here, but we do have some adorable tiny spiders who live in our downstairs bathroom and eat the teensy ants that live in the wall. My only problem is that now I’m afraid to put bait out to kill the ants, because that might hurt the spiders. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/30 "2012-09-11T02:59:32Z")
> [@colonial](#): > > Might not hurt to let her know how lucky she is not live in Australia, where they have spiders which can _really_ do some damage: > > [The Australian Funnel-web Spider](http://australianmuseum.net.au/Funnel-web-Spiders-Group) > > (from link): Yeah, the Funnel-web is nasty but you’re far more likely to encounter the [Redback](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redback_spider), [White-tail](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-tailed_spider) or [Huntsman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntsman_spider) Of course, up north some [spiders take care of the snake problem for us.](http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2012/04/19/215081_local-news.html)😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/31 "2012-09-11T12:02:04Z")
> [@InternetLegend](#): > > I’m with you! The only spiders I don’t allow in the house are the black widows - they’re not likely to do a whole lot of damage to the people, but since they could really hurt or even kill a cat, they have to live away from the pets. I’m a spider-liker, too. We have a lot of them sharing our abode, and a small breeding colony of jumping spiders lives in our mailbox. I’m not sure what the mail carrier thinks of that, but they live way in the back where she doesn’t have to put her hand, so I guess she’s okay with it. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/32 "2012-09-11T16:26:23Z")
> [@Battle\_Pope](#): > > Of course, up north some [spiders take care of the snake problem for us.](http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2012/04/19/215081_local-news.html)😃 Aw _HELL_ no! ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/33 "2012-09-11T16:54:28Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > Good christ. \ We honor them with [art](http://www.kplu.org/post/how-two-60-foot-arachnids-came-life-seattle-roof) here… ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/34 "2012-09-11T19:21:22Z")
Spiders kill an incredible amount of flies, so they are a GOOD thing ! ---
**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 11, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/35 "2012-09-11T19:35:58Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > Spiders kill an incredible amount of flies, so they are a GOOD thing ! Indeed. There must be things to eat, else they wouldn’t be here. I was finding wood lice from time to time. And I found a number of wood lice hulks in secluded webs. (I also discovered a couple of drain pipes had broken under the house, so the kitchen sink and [clothes washer] utility sink were draining under the house. Maybe that will reduce the population of wood lice.) I found a _Steatoda_ on one of the headboard legs of my bed the other day. I’m leaving it alone. (It’s really tempting to catch it and try to take a picture of it. Only my camera isn’t up to the task.) ---
**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 11, 2012, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/36 "2012-09-11T22:45:18Z")
> [@Battle\_Pope](#): > > Yeah, the Funnel-web is nasty but you’re far more likely to encounter the [Redback](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redback_spider), [White-tail](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-tailed_spider) or [Huntsman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntsman_spider) [Wasp preys on redbacks](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48993297/ns/technology_and_science-science/# __utma=14933801.53515650.1342402797.1347380691.1347403280.244&__ utmb=14933801.2.10.1347403280& __utmc=14933801&__ utmx=-&__utmz=14933801.1342402797.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)%7Cutmccn=(direct)%7Cutmcmd=(none)&__utmv=14933801.%7C8=Earned%20By=msnbc%7Ccover=1%5E12=Landing%20Content=Mixed=1%5E13=Landing%20Hostname=www.nbcnews.com=1%5E30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Earned%20to%20Mixed=1&__utmk=146511540) ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/37 "2012-09-12T02:36:54Z")
Around here, it’s the little tiny ones that will really ruin your day. The big ones don’t scare me much. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978/38 "2012-09-12T05:36:48Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Indeed. There must be things to eat, else they wouldn’t be here. I was finding wood lice from time to time. And I found a number of wood lice hulks in secluded webs. (I also discovered a couple of drain pipes had broken under the house, so the kitchen sink and [clothes washer] utility sink were draining under the house. Maybe that will reduce the population of wood lice.) There’s a trussed-up earwig hanging behind my garage door that I leave as a trophy in honor of spiders everywhere. The spider that got it was a quarter its size. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-giant-house-spider-of-the-season/633978.md?page=1)