Tell Me Something............Anything!

[alphaGT]

Before I lived in the house I’m in, I lived in a trailer in the woods for a few years. And there was a pile of old stumps and leaves and other wooden trash not too far away, is where I think they came from. But there were giant spiders! Big as my hand! With long hair, like a tarantula, but their abdomen was shaped much different. I later learned they were wolf spiders. And I ran across at least three of these inside my trailer on different occasions, once standing on top of the covers I was under! I whaled him unmercifully with a fly swatter and he rolled up and fell behind the bed. But when I looked for him he was gone! A tough bugger to say the least. I wish I could have caught one, if for no other reason but to prove that I wasn’t exaggerating on their size! I wish them no harm but I’m sorry, I can not share a space with such nightmare monsters!

Russell

[walpurgis]

Bugs and creatures don't bother me, apart from leeches. Had them on me a couple of times, don't like them. I like spiders, they are good for the house and I leave them alone. Snakes are OK too, used to find vipers whilst working, just leave them be and they'll ignore you. Even wasps have their place.

[Pigmy Pony]

We don't have any visible spiders' webs in the house, they are probably under floors, or in the attic or eaves. The spiders I see running round the house in the autumn are almost certainly males looking for a mate, and I wish them well.

[Ian7633]

Before I lived in the house I’m in, I lived in a trailer in the woods for a few years. And there was a pile of old stumps and leaves and other wooden trash not too far away, is where I think they came from. But there were giant spiders! Big as my hand! With long hair, like a tarantula, but their abdomen was shaped much different. I later learned they were wolf spiders. And I ran across at least three of these inside my trailer on different occasions, once standing on top of the covers I was under! I whaled him unmercifully with a fly swatter and he rolled up and fell behind the bed. But when I looked for him he was gone! A tough bugger to say the least. I wish I could have caught one, if for no other reason but to prove that I wasn’t exaggerating on their size! I wish them no harm but I’m sorry, I can not share a space with such nightmare monsters!

Russell

They are big buggers for sure, nasty bite too. They are distant relatives of the Tarantula.

[struth]

Had a big spider crawl up my bed when I was a kid. Was on the Norfolk broads on a cruiser. Scared the b'jezus out of me. My brother tried to beat it to death with a shoe but only succeeded it beating me up. Lol

Got attacked by bats that holiday too

[Pigmy Pony]

Yes, but with a smattering of cheese around the rim.

Marco.

And they all have a smattering of Japanese tourists round them. Especially the 'hentai' ones.

[Pigmy Pony]

They are big buggers for sure, nasty bite too. They are distant relatives of the Tarantula.

We in Britain are lucky that we can afford to be charitable. We only have the 'False Widow', which is far from lethal.

[Ian7633]

OK, here's the bit that will freak people out, ALL spiders have a venomous bite but most can't pierce our skin with their fangs. All but one actually, there is a vegetarian spider that eats only flower buds. Amazing creatures.

[walpurgis]

The last couple of posts are incorrect. There are a number of spiders in the UK which can give a venomous bite and most are quite common. I have woodlouse spiders, lace web spiders and false widows in my garden. There is no record of fatalities from spider bites in the UK as far as I'm aware, but some nasty effects can occur.

We have these too.



Yellow tailed scorpion. Becoming more common.

[alphaGT]

Several years ago, something bit me on my big toe, and I assumed it was a tiny spider. It could have been something else? But what creature would be hiding in my shoe or however I got the bite? My toe swole up and drained for months, the nail turned black and fell off, it took 8 months for it to pass, I wasn’t sure the toe was going to make it.

Here where I live there aren’t many real natural threats. Black Widows and Brown Recluse, both dangerous, but not deadly. No big bears, wolves, or wild cats for the most part, a few poison snakes, but I can’t recall the last time I heard of anyone loosing a limb or suffering a fatality. But down in Florida they’ve got giant pythons! And alligators that can swallow you whole! A woman was eaten just the other week while walking her dog. In Texas they’ve got scorpions, and fire ants, and killer bees, giant spiders and rattle snakes! And in the upper West they’ve got Grizzly Bears! Wolves, and mountain lions. Even moose can be hazardous, being the giant creatures they are. So I’m glad I live in tame old Virginia, where you can walk outside without fearing for your life!

Russell