Autumn's here, the spiders are trying to come indoors !

[Toddy]

The trees are changing colour, the leaves have started to fall, but I still haven't smelled 'Autumn' in the air yet. It'll come but not quite yet.
It's definitely time though; the spiders are trying to come indoors. I've found and thrown out seven so far today, and it's not as though I'd gone looking for them, they were just trying to find corners to coorie down. I know it's mating time and they'll be searching for their other half, but even so, seven in a day is a tad much.

I'm a fussy besom, if it's an insect in my house and I see it, it's out or it's dead. I threw these ones outside to find someplace else to set up home, but it's another sign that the seasons are turning.

Someone else posted asking what we do to Winterproof our homes, but to be honest it's just a kind of Autumn 'spring' clean, and change things over for me. Somehow spiders are always involved at this time of year.

 

[Pattree]

Trying to come indoors?
TRYING to come indoors??????
We’re getting the big ones by platoon.

Had two golden hornets buzzing round the kitchen lamp last night. I don’t mind them being here but it’s the noise that’s distracting when you’re trying to read.
Like spiders they are easy to catch and evict.

 

[slowworm]

Our spiders never left the house for summer. We have caught and removed three voles from the house today though.

 

[Toddy]

Not fond of rodents in the house. Years ago I spotted a field mouse coming in the open back door, so from this time onwards I keep it closed instead of open to the big room outside. We live next to a nature walk, a strip of woodland and it's inevitable that the mice are there really.

 

[slowworm]

We get all sorts in the house, one of the benefits of living in the wilds. We're had a shrew about the place for a few months. To be honest, although weve tried to live catch and release it, it's been good fun seeing it pop out every so often and go foraging.

 

[Kadushu]

Are there tax breaks if I register as a nature reserve or zoo?

 

[Toddy]

We call those Atlas spiders. Not sure if they really are, but those huge males come in looking for females....and at dark o'clock finding one running over my kitchen floor is not a happy wake up !

They look really but apparently they're harmless.

 

[Nice65]

View attachment 82474

Are there tax breaks if I register as a nature reserve or zoo?

Had one of those shoot across the living room floor last night. Caught it out of the corner of my eye at first and thought it was a mouse it was so big. And quick!

 

[Chris]

We call those Atlas spiders. Not sure if they really are, but those huge males come in looking for females....and at dark o'clock finding one running over my kitchen floor is not a happy wake up !

They look really but apparently they're harmless.

Giant House Spider - the females are even bigger, but they tend to keep hidden away whilst the makes charge about the place looking for some spider lovin’.

 

[HillBill]

Unfortunately for the spiders, we now have 7 cats. They don't get far.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Spiders have year round residency in my abode. They make good insecticides.. Sometimes I have to help a real biggen' get out of the bath or kitchen sink & I say to myself; "I'm gonna need a bigger hand."
Have a few small rodents too, those that make their own way in & those the cat brings in & they escape her clutches.
That's just life out in the sticks. One big happy family.

 

[Wander]

I love it when the spiders come in.
I love watching them. So peaceful.
Unfortunately I'm not the only one in the house but I am the only one who shares that opinion.
So if I see a spider I keep my mouth shut and have adopted a live-and-let-live attitude. Myself and the spiders have learnt to look out for each other in case either gets into trouble and has to make a run for it. The cat is on our side as well.

 

[ManFriday4]

When we lived on the boat we had a resident spider population. Now we live in a house we still have resident spiders & just as welcome

 

[Toddy]

I don't like spiders in the house. They are a clear sign that I haven't cleaned out that bit.
They're messy things, and fragile. I'd rather they were outside, so out they go.

We have annoying ones in the sheds that create great white swathes of webbing. A sticky mess, tbh.

Seeing them in places like the hedge though; that's kind of interesting

 

[Nice65]

I’m with To

Myself and the spiders have learnt to look out for each other in case either gets into trouble and has to make a run for it.

The mythical Spider Whisperer?

I’m with Toddy, if I see one, it’s out.

 

[Scottieoutdoors]

Ugh, I really don't like spiders... As the man of the house I have to be.... well..the man of the house, so they're my job to deal with.
What I've noticed over the last few months is the appearance of really small jumping spiders, I must admit, they're kinda cute. I'd say they're sort of money spider body size, but almost shorter legs, but they sort of move in little jumps. Never noticed them before.

Little bit of a side step from the topic, but has anyone noticed fruit flies have had a big presence this year?

 

[Toddy]

Ugh, I really don't like spiders... As the man of the house I have to be.... well..the man of the house, so they're my job to deal with.
What I've noticed over the last few months is the appearance of really small jumping spiders, I must admit, they're kinda cute. I'd say they're sort of money spider body size, but almost shorter legs, but they sort of move in little jumps. Never noticed them before.

Little bit of a side step from the topic, but has anyone noticed fruit flies have had a big presence this year?

Black and white striped things ? wee zebra spiders I think. They're a pest on the windowsills.

"Zebra jumping spider - Salticus scenicus A small spider with white and black markings and a characteristic jerky 'start and stop' movement. Usually found hunting on external walls and surfaces but frequently venturing indoors through open doors and windows."


The fruit flies are a nuisance too this year. They seem to want to infest my counter top compost caddy thing. I empty it frequently, often twice a day, and they're still coming in.
Annoying me more because I'm still trying to deal with a glut of apples and raspberries.
I still have quince ripening on the bushes, so that's still to come too.
I don't want fruit flies near any of that lot.

 

[ManFriday4]

What I've noticed over the last few months is the appearance of really small jumping spiders, I must admit, they're kinda cute. I'd say they're sort of money spider body size, but almost shorter legs, but they sort of move in little jumps. Never noticed them before.

Those little jumping spiders are usually found in grassland. We have brown & cream stripy ones they normally hunt in the thatch layer of grassland close to the ground.

 

[Nice65]

Those little jumping spiders are usually found in grassland. We have brown & cream stripy ones they normally hunt in the thatch layer of grassland close to the ground.

We get tiny ones on the window ledges in warm weather. Under a magnifier they’re like mini tarantulas.

 

[Scottieoutdoors]

@Toddy
A small cup of vinegar is good to get rid of fruit flies.... well... it attracts them, so I'm not sure the range of attraction... but they often drown in it.