# Sitting, you suddenly look down and see a small spider on your knee. Your reaction? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 31, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658 "2010-07-31T04:35:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![erleichda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4da419/32.png) [@erleichda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erleichda)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/21 "2010-07-31T06:46:18Z")
Really, you guys? I would probably pick it up gently and set it somewhere else. I love spiders. ---
**Author:** ![erleichda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4da419/32.png) [@erleichda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erleichda)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/22 "2010-07-31T06:48:22Z")
Now, snakes are an entirely different matter! If I saw a snake in my house I would move out. ---
**Author:** ![cgg419](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cgg419/32/2847_2.png) [@cgg419](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cgg419)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/23 "2010-07-31T06:53:50Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Spiiiiider!!!SpiderspiderspiderspiderGetitOFF!!! _Squish_ > > Then I spend the next 15 minutes thinking every hair or breeze that touches me is another spider. > > Spiders & house centipedes are the only creatures that I \*\*hate \*\*and do not want anywhere near/and or on me. I don’t care about any other bugs, beetles, bees, roaches, mice, reptiles, etc. at all. Anything else I wouldn’t care if I picked it up. But spiders and house centipedes… _brrr_ I’m confused, how did I write this post under your account? 😕 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/24 "2010-07-31T07:03:24Z")
Depends on the spider. There are small, black, moderately hairy ones with glittering greenish eyes that are my lifelong enemies. IME they’re very aggressive and prone to attack things by jumping at them. I’ve tried blowing at one of the little bastards, and it _jumped at my face_. After that, no mercy. Others, I’d just brush it off, maybe with an involuntary “eww” if it surprised me. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/25 "2010-07-31T07:04:58Z")
Snakes are awesome! They have no legs! 😃 (No, I really think it is something about the legs. More than 6 legs and it just becomes creepy/scary. I don’t know why. I \*know \*it doesn’t make sense. There are often times when I think I see a spider on my wall and get that hot startled feeling, then I see it only has 6 legs and am like “Oh, OK.” _picks up bug and tosses it out the window._ I don’t get it.) But snakes are cool. I’ve wanted a pet snake ever since I was like 8 years old. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/26 "2010-07-31T07:14:16Z")
Inside: gently cup it into my hand and take it to a plant. Outside: gently cup it into my hand and take it to a plant. If it was a dock spider: take a saw to my leg. [http://www.anura.it/stories/ancylometes](http://www.anura.it/stories/ancylometes) Check out the first picture with the fish. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/27 "2010-07-31T07:16:46Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > (No, I really think it is something about the legs. More than 6 legs and it just becomes creepy/scary. I don’t know why. I \*know \*it doesn’t make sense. There are often times when I think I see a spider on my wall and get that hot startled feeling, then I see it only has 6 legs and am like “Oh, OK.” _picks up bug and tosses it out the window._ I don’t get it.) I tried persuading my wife that the giant huntsman spider living in her closet was a _good_ thing. You know, it’ll eat the silverfish? She. Was. Not. Buying. It. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/28 "2010-07-31T11:00:52Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Thumbtack sized? Flick it off, and go about my business. If you get up to around quarter size, there will be some amount of startled screaming, followed by a couple of hours of heebie jeebies. Yeah, this. I’m phobic of them but have managed to get rid of enough that thumb-tack size would be “ew! _flick_” Like another poster said, a centipede would probably put me into hyperventilation. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/29 "2010-07-31T11:03:59Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > (No, I really think it is something about the legs. More than 6 legs and it just becomes creepy/scary. I don’t know why. I \*know \*it doesn’t make sense. There are often times when I think I see a spider on my wall and get that hot startled feeling, then I see it only has 6 legs and am like “Oh, OK.” _picks up bug and tosses it out the window._ I don’t get it.) I’m somewhat the opposite. I find spiders somewhat creepy but less creepy than bugs. As for what I do; am I wearing pants or shorts? If the latter I jump up, maybe yip a little and swat it right off. If wearing pants outside I’ll flick or blow it off. Indoors with pants, I’d walk to the toilet and flick it into the Bowl of Doom for a one way trip. Indoors with shorts, jump up, flick off and go looking for the flyswatter. ---
**Author:** ![figure9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@figure9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/figure9)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/30 "2010-07-31T11:08:16Z")
I’d just flick it off. No big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/31 "2010-07-31T11:50:22Z")
I’d just get a piece of paper and slide it off my leg. Used to be I would squish them and shudder for a few minutes. However, about 2 weeks back, I woke up covered in hundreds of baby spiders. Unknown to me, a spider had put a web sack on my headboard, and when it opened, the baby spiders swarmed over me. I jumped out of bed, hauled ass outside, and spent half an hour hosing myself down. I’ve always had a severe phobia of spiders, and frankly I’m surprised this didn’t drive me bonkers. After that incident, single spiders don’t bother me anymore. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/32 "2010-07-31T11:52:41Z")
Blow it off, flick it very gently or let it walk onto my hand and deposit it outside. The only spiders I don’t care for are Red-backs and Funnel Webs, the rest don’t worry me. If they make their webs in unobtrusive spots I just leave them alone, as we are on the same side against the insects. However, if I see a huge Huntsman indoors I catch it and take it outside because I don’t want it walking on me while I am asleep. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/33 "2010-07-31T12:23:00Z")
I’ve got a pretty severe phobia of any insect that can fly… but not spiders. I consider them an ally in my efforts to eradicate the airspace of anything that makes a buzzing noise. I’d probably just put it down somewhere safe. In the summer I might put it outside, for the better hunting out there. I’ve woken up with a spider on my pillow, I put it on the floor and went back to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/34 "2010-07-31T12:38:21Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#): > > After that incident, single spiders don’t bother me anymore. Can’t say I’m surprised, but - pardon me while I go cower in the corner and breathe into this paper bag… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/35 "2010-07-31T13:05:31Z")
I’d look at it, think “Oh, a little bitty spider”, then give it a good flick. OTOH, if it were in the tarantula size range, my reaction may be a bit less blase. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_a\_Platypus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d26b3c/32.png) [@Not\_a\_Platypus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_a_Platypus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/36 "2010-07-31T13:33:38Z")
I’d kill it. I don’t mean to be afraid of them. I know they’re helpful critters and the vast majority I’ll come across in my life can’t really hurt me, and generally I’ll let them live, but if they’re lurking on the ceiling near my bed at night they’re dead, and if they’re ON ME my reflexes will kick in and they’ll be gone or dead before either of us knew what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/37 "2010-07-31T13:54:18Z")
My reaction would involve a lot of high-pitched screaming and jumping and dancing in place while beating the shit out of my own knee with whatever heavy object I can grab, until I manage to knock it to the ground where someone else can squish it for me. Yeah, they eat other pests, blah blah blah. I’m not buying it. Those exoskeletons? Mechs. Hence the hydraulic legs and dead eyes (doll’s eyes!) and the unpleasantly unnatural way they skitter around. Mark my words, the spiders we’re familiar with are really the vanguard of some evil 8-legged alien army that’s poised to come down here and suck out all our brains just as soon as they get that pesky size differential figured out. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/38 "2010-07-31T13:59:43Z")
There is something about the way they move. The first time I encountered it, I just caught a glimpse of that huntsman out of the corner of my eye, scurrying up to a corner. I didn’t even know what it was, but I had an immediate adrenaline rush and unpleasant tingly feeling of “there is something in this room, a _thing that should not be_.” ---
**Author:** ![Paranoid\_Randroid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paranoid_randroid/32/18_2.png) [@Paranoid\_Randroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paranoid_Randroid)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/39 "2010-07-31T14:00:55Z")
I possess a terrible, irrational fear of spiders; it appears that I am not alone. Heh. I suppose I would jump up, grab my pants leg (I don’t own any shorts), and shake it until the spider falls off. I would prefer that it live, run away and hide somewhere, kill insects, and stay out of my sight, so I wouldn’t kill it unless that were the only way to get it off of me. ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/40 "2010-07-31T14:11:27Z")
The time I found one on my shirt, I ended up taking my shirt off while yelling, “NnnngAAAAAAH!”\* So, I’d probably end up with no pants on. \*approximation [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658.md?page=3)