Ah I see. Although I can't say I'm any more happy to go about picking the little things up.. Dislike of spiders is one of the most irrational things, but it still gets me sometimes.
Eight-legged freak.
- Thread starter Bushwhacker
- Start date
Loads of peeps are scared or don't like spiders, I think it's more the speed they move at and the fact they often make people jump that cause it rather than the 8 legs. My uncle had a butterfly farm out in Oz and used to keep spiders, bugs and reptiles aswell so I kinda grew up with large hairy crawly things on me, Bird Eaters or Tarantulas or some other weird n wonderful critter, our lil beasties are tiny compared. 
On land in the UK, afaik, the only poisonous critter is the Adder, a few in the sea but reckon you'll be safe out and about normally.
Si
On land in the UK, afaik, the only poisonous critter is the Adder, a few in the sea but reckon you'll be safe out and about normally.
Si
Oh right, I thought they could be dangerous to small screechy things and aged peeps with heart probs?
Ok venomous then.
Si
Ok venomous then.
Si
Bees, wasps & hornets are venomous too, I imagine more people are attacked by them every year than by spiders or adders..
Arn't there some black widows in the UK ?
Arn't there some black widows in the UK ?
Oh yeah, and that's a painful one too.
We've got the Noble False Widow, which is often mistaken for the real McCoy, wouldn't surprise me if we didn't have some actual Widows around some of the docks, I know there was a colony of scorpions on the Isle of Sheppey as I've seen some of them waaaaay back when I was a kid but they weren't a deadly variety, just like a wasp sting. (I know wasp & bee stings can be dangerous if the patient goes into anaphylactic shock).
Si
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Most folk who are scared of spiders, are scared of them because one of their parents will have been. They will have picked the irrational fear up as children.
Loads of peeps are scared or don't like spiders, I think it's more the speed they move at and the fact they often make people jump that cause it rather than the 8 legs. My uncle had a butterfly farm out in Oz and used to keep spiders, bugs and reptiles aswell so I kinda grew up with large hairy crawly things on me, Bird Eaters or Tarantulas or some other weird n wonderful critter, our lil beasties are tiny compared.
On land in the UK, afaik, the only poisonous critter is the Adder, a few in the sea but reckon you'll be safe out and about normally.
Si
My father, the big girl's blouse, is scared of spiders & my mother is petrified of snakes........I don't share their fears.............I'm only afraid of the bogeyman.
Probably the fact that I stayed up (against my parents will) when I was about 6 with my big brother to watch "Arachnophobia" has something to do with it too.. haha
The weird thing is, usually when I'm outside I'm fine. I do lots of landscape services so see loads and have them all over me sometimes trimming hedges and such and that's fine. It's state of mind.. when I'm at home all comfy and I see one.. It's ON.
The weird thing is, usually when I'm outside I'm fine. I do lots of landscape services so see loads and have them all over me sometimes trimming hedges and such and that's fine. It's state of mind.. when I'm at home all comfy and I see one.. It's ON.
After looking up Stone Spiders I came across this list of UK spider bites which is interesting reading! I've been bitten by a woodlouse spider before but can still pick up most house guests and pop them outside - I bet I'm more scary to them!
That's a cool site, nice find. I can feel myself getting more and more drawn into spiders. I ought to resist really so I can concentrate on other things I'm doing.
I was reading through that earlier when I was looking for the Stone spider pic, who'd have thought Money spiders :yikes: LOL they're minute.
Huntsman are proper aggressive lil buggers, I'm kinda surprised that the Cave spider isn't on that list I know of 2 peeps personally who've been bitten by them, I was there both times, very sharp bite, I suppose it because they normally live in the entrances to caves/tunnels and dark places, not many sane people often venture into such places. I read somewhere that they were rare, they're not rare round this area there's 1000s of em lol.
Si
Huntsman are proper aggressive lil buggers, I'm kinda surprised that the Cave spider isn't on that list I know of 2 peeps personally who've been bitten by them, I was there both times, very sharp bite, I suppose it because they normally live in the entrances to caves/tunnels and dark places, not many sane people often venture into such places. I read somewhere that they were rare, they're not rare round this area there's 1000s of em lol.
Si
Cave spiders are also found in cellars.
I was reading through that earlier when I was looking for the Stone spider pic, who'd have thought Money spiders :yikes: LOL they're minute.
Huntsman are proper aggressive lil buggers, I'm kinda surprised that the Cave spider isn't on that list I know of 2 peeps personally who've been bitten by them, I was there both times, very sharp bite, I suppose it because they normally live in the entrances to caves/tunnels and dark places, not many sane people often venture into such places. I read somewhere that they were rare, they're not rare round this area there's 1000s of em lol.
Si
Yep, seen em in loads of dark places, just looking through some of my tunnel pics for some, they hang their egg sacks from the ceilings and then guard em.
Found a few will stick a couple up when Tinypic has finished it's maintenance....
Si
Found a few will stick a couple up when Tinypic has finished it's maintenance....
Si
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Detached Bastion in Dover
Lyddon G3
About the only wildlife I ever see underground is the occaisional bat, leopard slugs, cave spiders and sum real funky moulds.
Si
Lyddon G3
About the only wildlife I ever see underground is the occaisional bat, leopard slugs, cave spiders and sum real funky moulds.
Si
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we have a few of these round my way - I've always thought they were woodlouse spiders, besides hating spiders anyway I usually especially avoid these as woodlice ones can give a meaty bite
I've come late to this thread, but I can confirm that the spider pictured is a 'Stone spider' (never heard it called that before) although whether it is Drassodes lapidosus or Drassodes cupreus is impossible to tell without a microscope and even then extremely difficult if the spider is a female (and this one is). I'll go with D. lapidosus as it tends to be slightly bigger, but there isn't much in it.
They are very common. I've got them in my shed, and in my compost bin. They are one of the more aggressive species in the UK, although not towards humans, but they could bite if left no other choice. I've never heard of any ill effects from them. They quite often turn up in houses.
Some lovely cave spider pics there Urban X, and the top pic shows the characteristic egg sac for the species too, a ball of silk hanging on a thread like a Christmas bauble. Can be as big as a golf ball in extreme cases.
As for money spiders biting, the one mentioned in the article, Leptorhoptrum robustum is bigger than your typical money spider, and has disproportionately large fangs as well.
They are very common. I've got them in my shed, and in my compost bin. They are one of the more aggressive species in the UK, although not towards humans, but they could bite if left no other choice. I've never heard of any ill effects from them. They quite often turn up in houses.
Some lovely cave spider pics there Urban X, and the top pic shows the characteristic egg sac for the species too, a ball of silk hanging on a thread like a Christmas bauble. Can be as big as a golf ball in extreme cases.
As for money spiders biting, the one mentioned in the article, Leptorhoptrum robustum is bigger than your typical money spider, and has disproportionately large fangs as well.
Thanks Harvestman, amazing creatures, I love spiders.
Got another pic of a Cave spider egg sack which we thought was due to hatch, can you confirm our thoughts or is the discoloration something else entirely, this was quite big, prolly about the size of a 2p coin kinda thing?
Cheers
Si
Got another pic of a Cave spider egg sack which we thought was due to hatch, can you confirm our thoughts or is the discoloration something else entirely, this was quite big, prolly about the size of a 2p coin kinda thing?
Cheers
Si
woodspirits
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
my lad used to work in a huge sainsburys warehouse, he said there were all sorts of things wandering around there coming in with the bananas etc
