Huge Spider

[Princess of Hearts]

Oh my GOD!   I just got up from my chair to boil the kettle and I suddenly saw something that I could not believe.   For the first time ever I really could not believe my eyes.  There scuttling on the floor was a huge and I mean huge spider.  It was so huge that I really thought that it must have been one of those spiders that you read about that get shipped from Brazil in bananas.    Seriously my mother might have to contact the authorities about this spider because it was far bigger than any I have every seen.   I was almost rigid with fear.  Normally I trap these large Scottish 'tarantulas' in a glass and put them outside but this tarantula was so large and scuttleing about that I couldn't be in the room with it.  However, I knew that I couldn't let it live and run about the house at will.   I got a heavy object dropped in on top of this science fiction spider and then stood on top of it and heard a distinct crunch.  I am still shaking now realising that that huge thing actually existed and was scuttling around my feet.

[SandraJane]

Tarantula's in Scotland? How big was this spider? What's upset you more, its size or having to dispose of it?

My upstair's neighbors actually raise Tarantulas, about 50 of them

[Princess of Hearts]

They are not tarantulas as such, but they do have the tarantula body shape.  This was was as big as smallish tarantula seriously, I am not joking that is why I wrote that at first I thought that I was seeing things, then I wondered if it was something from South America.  I them ran screaming from the kitchen.  I was terrified to have that thing in the same room as me.    I don't regret killing it at all.


I simply couldn't live any where near a person who bred spiders!!

type into google Scottish spiders and you might see a tarantulaesque spider.  If you do then imagine the one shown three times its size then you will understand what was running about the kitchen floor.   I can't look at anymore spiders tonight.

[SandraJane]

I also found this article on spiders in Scotland...

http://www.4information.com/trivia/spider-save-scotland/

[Anatta]

Kia Ora Princess,

Did you know the common daddy long-legs is one of the most venomous arachnids around, but fortunately for us humans their fangs are quite fragile and can't penetrate our skin...

On average a spider will eat one to two insects[flies, mozzies or other spiders depending on the species] a week...


I must admit I'm somewhat of an arachnophile-I like spiders...

Spider's are one of Mother Natures best biological pest control agents... 

Metta Zenda

[Princess of Hearts]

I like daddy longlegs Zenda.  Over here we call them 'jenny long-legs' for some reason.   I did know that they were related to spiders but this never bothered me in the least.   They sometimes get into the house and fly around the room occasionally landing on me and I think nothing of it.    A few weeks ago a moth almost the size and width of my thumb got in through an open window one night.   Again this creature didn't upset me at all.  Had that spider tonight got on me somehow you would have heard me screaming from New Zealand.

[Princess of Hearts]

This is the type of spider we get here.   Although most of the ones here are a sort of dirty black in colour.   The one tonight was twice as big as this and a much lighter brown.

[Anatta]

I like daddy longlegs Zenda.  Over here we call them 'jenny long-legs' for some reason.   I did know that they were related to spiders but this never bothered me in the least.   They sometimes get into the house and fly around the room occasionally landing on me and I think nothing of it.    A few weeks ago a moth almost the size and width of my thumb got in through an open window one night.   Again this creature didn't upset me at all.  Had that spider tonight got on me somehow you would have heard me screaming from New Zealand.

Kia Ora Princess,

I think what you refer to as Jenny long-legs is a species of crane fly [an insect not spider], hence why they have wings six legs and fly[they belong to the order Diptera=true flies] ...However their legs are quite long resembling those of the long legged arachnid that I mentioned...

In Australia they have the Sydney  "Funnel web" spider [along with many other poisonous spiders] however it's the male of this particular species that's quite deadly, which is unusual for spiders[normally females are the dangerous ones]...Here in Aotearoa [NZ] we have it's cousin the "Tunnel web" fortunately for Kiwis this spider can give a nasty bite but is not deadly...

The more one learns the less one fears - that's why I'm arachnophilic - they are fascinating creatures...

Metta Zenda    

[rexgsd]

Yuck! I hate spiders and hate to admit they freak me out! I'll go all commando if there's one in my room and kill it, even though i'm frightened.

Tarantula's on the other hand (true ones =p not like a gross scottish spider) don't bother me. they are big and fuzzy, and just sorta sit around. they don't like to bother people usually. my dad has a red rose tarantula he's had for about 10 years, and it's pretty cool ^ ^

[BunnyBee]

What's upset you more, its size or having to dispose of it?

I feel so guilty when I kill spiders, but I am too scared of them to handle them and take them outside like I do other bugs.  They are the only creature I ever kill on purpose.  I wish I didn't have the phobia.

Also funnel web spiders give me nightmares.  Out here the version we have is called the Hobo Spider

[Beth Andrea]

I'd think your spider is the "Giant House Spider".



When I saw the pic, my first thought was it was a hobo spider...the two are related, and similar in size. Here in WA (USA) we have a buttload of "hobo spiders."

They're usually about 1" - 1 1/2" leg spread (2.5 cm - 3.8cm), very very fast, and aggressive. However, they cannot jump nor climb glass...so I used to catch the buggers and put them in a "tumbler" glass (sides about 2" tall) and watch them run around and around and around....their little spider-feet clacking on the glass...

clackclack clack clackclack clack clack clackclack.....LOL

One time I saw one run to behind the fridge....I shined a flashlight, it looked directly at me--and I know this because its eyes were glowing red (like a person's eyes when photographed)   

They are poisonous, will cause a largish ulcer at the bite site, ranging from .5" to about 1"....and it will leave a scar. (I had a scar for 15 years after being bit)

eta: After reading the article on Giant House spiders, it turns out that they're here, too...and compete with the hobo for the same environment....OUR HOUSES.

OMG...where's my spider spray?!?   

[BunnyBee]

clackclack clack clackclack clack clack clackclack.....LOL

Eep!  Stop that!

[tekla]

http://www.texasento.net/Social_Spider.htm

[Beth Andrea]

http://www.texasento.net/Social_Spider.htm

Now that web is worthy of Shelob....

[rexgsd]

ahh i've been jynxed! a big black fast spider just crawled down the wall then jumped onto the floor!
eeek! i got it with bug/hornet spray.

a disadvantage of having a window ac unit =(

[vik2ray]

here in oz we get red backs n huntsman. the big ones are the size of a hand. n not to mention white tails that cause your limbs to die despite amputaion the necrosis keeps spreading or so ive heard..so thats scary stuff aye..

[Anatta]

Kia Ora,

Remember the movie "Arachnophobia"  well many of the live spiders used in the movie were huntsman spiders, however the huntsmans  used came from NZ {over here we call them Avondale spiders} it's believed they were shipped over back in the early 1920 in shipment of telegraph poll from Australia and first noticed/established in the suburb of Avondale west  Auckland hence the name...

Spider's are our friends..................

Metta Zenda

[Cindy]

I was driving and a humongous huntsman  came from behind the driving mirror and started down the windscreen. I discovered that it is possible to leave a car doing 60 km/hr.

I don't hate spiders but they startle me. and as vik2ray said everything we have is poisonous. Not quite sure why Australia has to have the most poisonous or deadly of virtually every creature.

Princess, if it's not too flat  , it might be worthwhile taking it to the local museum for ID

Cindy

[Joelene9]

  When I first moved in this house 27 years ago when it was new, I had 'scorpion spiders'.  These had two small, fuzzy claws in front, short body, six legs and no tail. These things had the sandy soil like camo on their bodies.  I've have yet to identifify them.  I have dispatched black widows and brown recluses since.  I have removed trantulas from my tent and camp and relocated them.  These are harmless and eat the nasty bugs including scorpions.  I kill the recluses on the spot and leave alone the black widows if they are not in an area I traffic through.  The garden variety Daddy Long Legs we have here is actually the Harvestman and it is not a spider but it is an aracnid closer related to mites. 
  Joelene

[FairyGirl]