Spider infestation (real ones, not the Line6 ones)

[Roobubba]

I use a spider catcher if there are big ones in the house (and we do get some big ones in the house!!), get them safely out into the garden where they belong! The little ones can stay, unless their webs are making a mess of the place, that is :)

Roo

[FernandoDuarte]

You guys gotta know the "red spider" from Brazil, it's like 1cm long, but if you can loose your leg in a week if don't go to the doctor...

Of course, the bigger the most intimidating :(
I saw one a "cousin" (I hope) of this red spider of like 12cm long on my wall... I was deadly scarred, took about half hour to get courage to kill it... hate this phobia

[tomjackson]

Spiders in the UK are harmless and never that big as people with fears of them report.  I like them and let them roam the house.  They come out at night and keep things in order, I'd much rather have them than than whatever food they are eating.  They are not aloud in the f-holes on my guitar though.

When I was in Australia I saw Wolf, Huntsman and Redback Spiders, the latter being found on my leg.  Obviously my attitude there was slightly different and that particular Spider got squashed.

But spiders over here are freindly so don't go burning them or you will upset the Karma!

[Fourth Feline]

I'm always happy to see a spider in the house. I think to myself 'you go kill the really annoying and filthy stuff for me mate, best of luck to ya!'.

+ 1 on that score, I go to great lengths in moving ones that have got stuck in the bath e.t.c -  out to the nearest  'spider friendly' safe spot. They may not have the nicest appearance, but they are doing me a favour - and succeed in doing so with great intelligence and industry.  :)

[Jonny]

Get some conkers. But good luck finding them.

They're all over my bathroom, at least the bath is clean and the toilet is... moderately clear. You just have to be quick with your business. It's like F1 racing going for your number 1/2s.

[MDV]

You guys gotta know the "red spider" from Brazil, it's like 1cm long, but if you can loose your leg in a week if don't go to the doctor...

Of course, the bigger the most intimidating :(
I saw one a "cousin" (I hope) of this red spider of like 12cm long on my wall... I was deadly scarred, took about half hour to get courage to kill it... hate this phobia

yes, well, were I in your part of the world I'd be a little more judicious about what spiders I allow to live and dont.

[Dr. Stein]

I love spiders. When me and the mrs find a spider that's about the only time I'm ever allowed to wear the trousers.

[AndyR]

I love spiders. When me and the mrs find a spider that's about the only time I'm ever allowed to wear the trousers.

:lol:

[dave_mc]

You guys gotta know the "red spider" from Brazil, it's like 1cm long, but if you can loose your leg in a week if don't go to the doctor...

Of course, the bigger the most intimidating :(
I saw one a "cousin" (I hope) of this red spider of like 12cm long on my wall... I was deadly scarred, took about half hour to get courage to kill it... hate this phobia

yes, well, were I in your part of the world I'd be a little more judicious about what spiders I allow to live and dont.

:lol: +1

over here fear of spiders is kind of a phobia, in other parts of the world it's more a rational fear...

[MDV]

You guys gotta know the "red spider" from Brazil, it's like 1cm long, but if you can loose your leg in a week if don't go to the doctor...

Of course, the bigger the most intimidating :(
I saw one a "cousin" (I hope) of this red spider of like 12cm long on my wall... I was deadly scarred, took about half hour to get courage to kill it... hate this phobia

yes, well, were I in your part of the world I'd be a little more judicious about what spiders I allow to live and dont.

:lol: +1

over here fear of spiders is kind of a phobia, in other parts of the world it's more a rational fear...

Especially in brazil. You may find a brazillian wandering spider in you shoe, with your foot, then you might die, and if you live (which in all fairness you probably will) you might never get it up again...

Thats a spider worth killing.

But youre likely to fully recover from bites from even the most dangerous spiders. black widows, funnel webs and brazillian wandering are the most lethal, and even they are less dangerous, statistically, than, say, changing a lightbulb or any car journey.

[nfe]

I spent my whole month in Australia a few years ago petrified to so much as step on grass or walk through plantlife  :lol:

All the while with my 9 year old cousin giving me

"C'mon Neil, for goodness sake! You're so silly! It's fiiiiiiine."
"That's as maybe Iona, I'll just stay on the pavement all the same"
 :lol:

[FernandoDuarte]

Yes, we have some nasty spiders here... But I've, in deed, phobia of insects that non rational fear that you cannot think and act like a 3yo child with fear...

DO you know Cicada? that harmless insect that people put "cords" on they and get they flying like "pets"?? I fear it like it were a big alien trying to explode me... I can't get in the same room with this thing...
Seems like it doesn't live in Europe, so for those who don't know, here it is:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Tibicen_linnei.jpg

[Afghan Dave]

^  PDT_041 PDT_039 PDT_023 ^

That thing is horrible!

I'd buy a f**king big spider for my pet just to eat that thing.

[dave_mc]

Especially in brazil. You may find a brazillian wandering spider in you shoe, with your foot, then you might die, and if you live (which in all fairness you probably will) you might never get it up again...

Thats a spider worth killing.

But youre likely to fully recover from bites from even the most dangerous spiders. black widows, funnel webs and brazillian wandering are the most lethal, and even they are less dangerous, statistically, than, say, changing a lightbulb or any car journey.

changing a lightbulb? do you mean electrocution? Or falling off the chair? :lol:

But I'm always wary of statistics- unless it's something you have no control over yourself (and even then), statistics mean very little to the individual... I mean, there's not a 0.025% chance that lightbulb is going to electrocute me, it either is or it isn't, kind of thing.  Plus you can minimise the risk by being extra careful, double- and triple-checking the electricity is off, maybe wearing rubber gloves and shoe soles (would that even help? :lol: ), etc. I mean, I'm guessing those odds are somewhat skewed by some people who decide that that light bulb must be changed right now, even though they're completely stoned... ditto driving. Now, if the eejit in the other car is such a bad driver that nomatter what you do you won't avoid him, you're obviously screwed, but you can certainly minimise the danger you put yourself in... again, how many people who die in accidents were driving badly themselves, or drunk or stoned?

Spiders would fall into the group where the statistics probably are important, if one just happens to be where you're walking... though even then you can minimise the risks by checking your shoes etc. before stepping into them...

EDIT: yeah I think I'd have a phobia of insects and spiders if I lived in brazil too, fernando. Not to worry, seems a perfectly legit fear... :lol:

[MDV]

Especially in brazil. You may find a brazillian wandering spider in you shoe, with your foot, then you might die, and if you live (which in all fairness you probably will) you might never get it up again...

Thats a spider worth killing.

But youre likely to fully recover from bites from even the most dangerous spiders. black widows, funnel webs and brazillian wandering are the most lethal, and even they are less dangerous, statistically, than, say, changing a lightbulb or any car journey.

changing a lightbulb? do you mean electrocution? Or falling off the chair? :lol:

But I'm always wary of statistics- unless it's something you have no control over yourself (and even then), statistics mean very little to the individual... I mean, there's not a 0.025% chance that lightbulb is going to electrocute me, it either is or it isn't, kind of thing.  Plus you can minimise the risk by being extra careful, double- and triple-checking the electricity is off, maybe wearing rubber gloves and shoe soles (would that even help? :lol: ), etc. I mean, I'm guessing those odds are somewhat skewed by some people who decide that that light bulb must be changed right now, even though they're completely stoned... ditto driving. Now, if the eejit in the other car is such a bad driver that nomatter what you do you won't avoid him, you're obviously screwed, but you can certainly minimise the danger you put yourself in... again, how many people who die in accidents were driving badly themselves, or drunk or stoned?

Spiders would fall into the group where the statistics probably are important, if one just happens to be where you're walking... though even then you can minimise the risks by checking your shoes etc. before stepping into them...

EDIT: yeah I think I'd have a phobia of insects and spiders if I lived in brazil too, fernando. Not to worry, seems a perfectly legit fear... :lol:

Yes, statistics have to be interpreted correctly, and true risk must take into account frequency of exposure, likelyhood of harm in any given exposure and any measures that can be taken to avoid the hazard involved.

Like falling down the stairs; in shear number its quite a big threat and the hazard posed peaks at 'death', but billions of steps are taken on stairs every day and we're all (or the vast majority of us) very accomplished stair users; the risk for any given step on a staircase, or flight of stairs, is very low indeed. And you can be careful to mitigate the risk.

But its the same with spiders. afaik there are no species of spiders that go out of their way to attack people; we arent on their menu and life isnt a b-movie. They attack if we both get close and threaten them (or their webs or eggs or whatever, in some cases). People (that know what they're doing) can handle very dangerous spiders, and by the same sorts of priniciples its a controlable risk.

I think its 13: people that have been killed by funnel webs in australia in the last 100 years. Out of I think 30 that have been killed in australia in the same time by any venomous spider. And most were children or very old. Thats one of the most venomous spiders around, that comes into contact with people a lot, and 13 deaths. None, I believe since the antivenom was developed in the 80s. Thats a very low risk, I dont care how you interpret the statistics!