Arachnophobia

[Krepostnoi]

Carry an elephant up a tree? You try first.

At school I learned that, in order to have one's pachyderm aloft in a tree, one merely had to sit it on an acorn in the springtime, then wait awhile.

 

[Krepostnoi]

But not elephants, obviously. They'd just go SPLAT! (as any fule know).

Dumbo could wreak havoc with the experimental data.

 

[Mythopoeika]

Carry an elephant up a tree? You try first.

You've seen my avatar?

 

[Bigphoot2]

Britain’s biggest spider caught on camera prowling around garden in Kent

The giant arachnid was found surrounded by dead spiders

SAMUEL OSBORNE



Monday 14 September 2015

Britain’s biggest spider has been caught on video prowling around a garden in Kent.

Wildlife experts identified the creature as a Segestria Florentina, or tube web spider, Kent Online reports.

A video uploaded to YouTube shows Matthew Field gently prompting the black spider to move with a stick.

Mr Field told Kent Online he was “startled” when he found the huge spider, but let it stay in his Whitstable garden while he listened to the radio.

He said he found the arachnid surrounded by dead spiders when he unrolled a canvas.

The spider is reported to be three-and-a-half to five inches in diameter.

"It startled me – it wasn’t happy that I had disturbed it and it definitely eats spiders as prey," Mr Field said.

While tube web spiders are not dangerous, they can bite.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-prowling-around-garden-in-kent-10499548.html

 

[CarlosTheDJ]

Well that's excellent, just down the bloody road.

 

[GNC]

We'll be thinking of you at this difficult time. Well, we'll be thinking about the massive spider, really, and hoping it doesn't have any buddies.

 

[Bigphoot2]

Well that's excellent, just down the bloody road.

I'd move. Bloody big spiders, moving in and ruining the neighbourhood.

 

[CarlosTheDJ]

Damn right. Bloody arachnigrants.

 

[Mythopoeika]

Damn right. Bloody arachnigrants.

Yeah, they come here and take all our jobs...

 

[GNC]

And our flies.

 

[Mythopoeika]

And take over our Web!

 

[rynner2]

Spider-proof shed to cost £2,000
By CM_HazelMurra | Posted: September 16, 2015

ARACHNOPHOBES can now relax as 'spider-proof' sheds hit the market - at the mere price of £2,000.

As autumn approaches and the UK reaches its peak time for spider sightings, due to the male eight-legged creatures hunting out mates, the sheds could offer arachnophobic gardeners a little relief for the coming season.
Built by Tiger Sheds, the company says the shed is air-tight, lined with repellent paper and painted blue - a colour which the company argues is actually proven to "repel spiders".
From the base price, buyers can upgrade to have the wood infused with deterrents such as peppermint, citrus and insecticide. They also advise setting up a "creepy-crawly den" nearby, to offer spiders a comfortable alternative.

According to researchers at Nottingham University, arachnophobia is a "learned" behaviour, and they argue that spider-proofing a shed won't rid them from the garden.

Among the dozens of products on offer to rid people's lives of spiders, are lavender-filled bags, specially-designed vacuum cleaners and even sprays with electromagnetic traps.

http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Spider-proof-shed-cost-2-000/story-27808185-detail/story.html

 

[PeteByrdie]

...and painted blue - a colour which the company argues is actually proven to "repel spiders".

That would explain the scarcity of the blue spider species mentioned in Karl Shuker's column this month. No wonder they have to live in dark caves.

 

[Bigphoot2]

Some restrained reporting from the Mail

Spiders as big as RATS invade a Cheshire town leaving residents terrified of the marauding SIX-INCH beasts

• British homes host an annual influx of spiders at this time of year
• But this year the summer weather has meant spiders are bigger
• Residents of Macclesfield have a huge influx of large arachnids

By RICHARD SPILLETT FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 14:02, 23 September 2015 | UPDATED: 15:02, 23 September 2015



Residents of a town in Cheshire say they are being invaded by giant spiders - some as big as rats.

Reports of large spiders in Britain's homes rocket in September as the creatures try to escape the cold weather outside.

But experts say a warm and wet summer has led to explosion in the size of the arachnids now creeping indoors.

+8

+8

Macclesfield residents Kris Clare (whose picture is shown left) and Bethan Tuckman (who took the picture, right) spotted these huge spiders in their homes

+8
Lucy Allen, also of Macclesfield, took this photo of this huge creature which she saw in her home

+8
Nick Oldham said his son was horrified when he saw this spider in the spare bedroom

Residents in Macclesfield have reported seeing huge spiders in their homes over the last week.

Nick Oldham, took a picture of a huge spider, which he estimated at having a six or seven-inch leg span, in the spare bedroom of his home.

RELATED ARTICLES

• Previous
• 1
• Next

• Mother driving her young son jumps from a moving car after...It's mam-moth! Hair-raising video shows terrifying gigantic...

SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Share
He said: 'These things are seriously big. Imagine the horror on my son's face when the spotted this big boy on his wall.'

The town's Bethan Tuckman also got a fright when she found three of the creatures in her house, one of which was four inches in size.

+8
Spiders, like this one seen by Jan Bowley are coming indoors at the moment as the nights become colder

+8

+8

Experts say a warm and wet summer has given spiders lots of smaller insects to feast on this year

+8
Caroline Jones found this huge spider in her home as the town reported an invasion of the creatures

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-RATS-invade-Cheshire-town.html#ixzz3mZYoQ95Q
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3246167/Spiders-big-RATS-invade-Cheshire-town.html

 

[Krepostnoi]

Just before we left, younger daughter opened the door to our attic floor. It's a couple of steps up. She fell straight back, and screamed. There was a spider on the vertical part of one step, waiting to catch the unwary beasts that - it must have thought - were roaming on the flat part of the step just above. :creepy: I swear that the tip of its rear legs touched the flat part of the step below, while its front legs reached the step above. We've moved, now, so I can't measure the rise, but it must have been at least a good six inches, if not more - they were steep steps, too. One of those that you don't think the pint glass will cover... Good practice for the tropics, I guess

 

[CarlosTheDJ]

This morning, I watched one of my cats neatly herd a poor unsuspecting woodlouse directly into a web under one of the kitchen cupboards, and the resident spider instantly dropped down, stabbed it, and rolled it up into a bundle for dinner later.

I swear the spider and the cat high-fived when my back was turned.

 

[Bigphoot2]

After Snakes on a Plane....

SPIDER ALERT: Flight plunged into chaos as aggressive TARANTULA found roaming on board
A FLIGHT was plunged into chaos after an aggressive spider was found roaming on board.
By TOM PARFITT
PUBLISHED: 06:51, Sat, Sep 26, 2015 | UPDATED: 07:04, Sat, Sep 26, 2015

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

The baboon tarantula was spotted by an eagle-eyed baggage handler
The baboon tarantula escaped from its container in the cargo hold and was spotted by an eagle-eyed baggage handler.

The flight's captain ordered the plane to be kept on the ground amid fears there were more spiders on board, causing hours of delays.

While officials scoured the jet for other critters, passengers were moved to a different plane.

GETTY

Passengers were moved to a different plane after the spider was found
The flight from Baltimore to Atlanta finally took off at around 9pm local time on Wednesday – three hours later than expected.

The decision was made "out of an abundance of caution", Delta spokesman Morgan Durrant said.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Officials captured the rogue arachnid and contacted its handler

GETTY

The baboon tarantula's stings cause a burning pain

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world...elta-Morgan-Durrant-Baltimore-Atlanta-airport

 

[Elsupremo]

No wonder life is a web of confusion, Spiders Rule!

 

[Mythopoeika]

No wonder life is a web of confusion, Spiders Rule!

I, for one, welcome our many-legged overlords!

 

[blessmycottonsocks]

"Spider-proof shed to cost £2,000"

You've got more money than sense if you pay that!
My old wooden shed was getting quite rotten and was a real spider accumulator. I replaced it with a £380 plastic one:

http://www.waltons.co.uk//garden-sheds/plastic-sheds&P.Size=4

and, so far, not an 8-legged friend in sight. Doubt if it has anything to do with the colour, but the interior plastic walls are quite shiny and spiders would struggle to climb them I guess.

 

[Mythopoeika]

I built a metal shed back in 1988 in my Mum and Dad's back garden.
It's still there, with not a trace of rust and no spiders.

 

[Bigphoot2]

Probably not the most sensible way to get rid of a spider

Watch moment man tries to kill spider with lighter at petrol station with explosive results
Amazingly the man managed to escape without injury – but it's doubtful the spider survived
.The reckless man can be seen trying to kill the bug with a lighter – but a blaze quickly erupted and the entire petrol pump caught fire.

He quickly grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and put out the flames before firefighters were called to the scene.

Reckless: The man thought it was a good idea to kill the spider with his lighter


The incredible footage was caught on the station's CCTV cameras.

Amazingly, the man escaped serious injury and only one petrol pump was damaged at the station.

It is believed the man's car has also been badly damaged in the blaze.

Read more: Spiders as big as MICE invading homes as randy creatures look for somewhere to mate

The man later admitted spotting a spider on his petrol tank and decided to take action due to his fear of the arachnids.

But the embarrassing gaffe didn't humiliate the man too much – he was back at the station in Detroit, Michigan, the next day.

Blaze: A fire extinguisher was used to dampen the flames before firefighters arrived


Employee Susan Adams told Fox2detroit.com: "He was sorry. He said he didn't know. It is just one of those things that happen - stupidity."



Ms Adams added that the incident should serve as a warning for people to be careful around petrol stations.

Stupidity: The man escaped without injury


"Whether it is using a cell phone or static electricity, the smallest spark can cause a gas station fire," she said.

It's hoped the damage will be covered by the station's insurance.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/watch-moment-man-tries-kill-6519351

 

[Elsupremo]

Spiders symbolize entrapment, this particular spider is from the species call OPECus Rape-us.

 

[RaM]

Spiders move indoors around this time of year,
one thing you can try and it does seem to work
get some conkers they are just starting to drop
and they have to be fresh not dried out, put
one in each corner of your rooms spiders don't
like the fumes given off as the conkers dry out.

 

[Bigphoot2]

Now this is just asking for trouble.

 

[GNC]

Spiders move indoors around this time of year,
one thing you can try and it does seem to work
get some conkers they are just starting to drop
and they have to be fresh not dried out, put
one in each corner of your rooms spiders don't
like the fumes given off as the conkers dry out.

Think that one's an urban myth, certainly when I was younger and collected conkers they didn't deter spiders from the house.

 

[Bigphoot2]

Think that one's an urban myth, certainly when I was younger and collected conkers they didn't deter spiders from the house.

The little buggers move too fast to hit with the conkers.

 

[RaM]

Yep if they don't work as intended launch them with a catapult, works every time.

 

[poozler]

I, for one, welcome our many-legged overlords!

Huntsmen (fat, hairy Australian spiders) are always welcome in my house, along with Daddy Long-legs. They keep cockroaches and other little critters away and they don't hurt you. We always seem to get a Huntsman in our house every summer, and invariably it gets bolder and bolder, moving from the ceiling (where it belongs) and winding up sitting on the dining-room table or beside the toaster. That's when I scoop the little guys up and put them in the garden. Daddy Long-legs tend to hang around forever, lurking in quiet corners, waiting for an ant or fly to come by, and occasionally pouncing on a stray cockroach. I find they are very accommodating when I vacuum, moving aside while I carefully vacuum around their webs, then moving back when I am done.

 

[Elsupremo]

All things in nature were friends to man before we fell asleep. The dawn is coming and so is the Awakening. Here comes the Sun. How about giant spiders with telepathy? Creepy