h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Night night Simon, and I didn't make myself clear, it's the tarantula that's got hairy banded legs not me or my spider

well, in these days of rapid international transit, we must all watch out for things like spiders that are not necessarily native to our particular shores.

Basically...(verrrry basically) if she weaves a web to catch things then you're safe (called an 'orb-weaver') if she runs around to catch things you're not so necessarily 100% sort of safe.

The un-hairy varieties to a) steer clear of or b) kill on sight are the 'Wolf spider' and the 'Black Widow'

Wolfie is big, brown and fast with a NASTY bite
and the widow is the black one with the red hourglass.

Hopefully yours is neither of these.

alec.

*woken up by the cats thumping about.....*

I haven't seen her make a web Alec, you've got me worried now she ran over my bare foot earlier. She sure as puts the willies up the

*memo to self - stop clicking before you've finished posting*

She's black, not fast and no hourglass. I think I'm safe.

I'm checking under my bed before I get in it! Just reading about it has given me the creeps. I think you should catch it before it catches the cat!!

I've just looked up the wolf spider, she's not one of them

Night Alec

...sorry granny, didn't mean to scare anyone

sleep tight, hope the bugs don't...erm...sorry

alec.

Update: 12:28 Saturday 16th August

Doris is now peacefully slumbering in a corner of the study after a night spent chasing the around the house. I'm still no wiser as to her family, perhaps she's an orphan

We have a beauty too, she was hanging out in the bath. Fortunately we all prefer showers, so she is relatively safe from disappearing down the plughole.

don't bother me at all, but generally they don't last long in this house as Cassie has a marked tendancy to eat anything smaller than her self.

She hasn't spotted Frederica yet.

We had a spider that dad kept as a pet for a while. He let it go and then I suspect the snorted on it and snotted it to death

is it true that ALL spiders are poisonous to verying degrees, just that the ones native to britain don't have big enough teeth to puncture human skin?

I should think so - it is how they deal with their prey, after all...

Spiders can bite in the UK, it isn't very common, but in my days I have dressed the very occasional bite.

Our garden here in Florida has lots of spiders.
For the most part they are orb-weavers making the most intricate webs in some really inventive places. Their construction methods appeal to the engineer in me...How does something so small know that there is a phone line 5m off the ground that would make the perfect anchor point?

There are red and white ones with black dots, silver ones with purple dots...honest!

Some of them use two different forms of silk, making a sort of zigzag warning sign in the middle of the net where they sit in wait.

And every time it rains or gets windy and the net is broken...they patiently make a brand new one.

We do find the occasional bad one, but only by looking under rocks or in damp corners outside.

I'll see if i can find some pictures.

alec.

What I'd like to know is why some spiders don't learn that stringing a web right across a footpath is a retarded way to do things...

well mine DO learn just that.

i only have to move a web once, by taking one of the three anchor points and hanging it out of the way, and the next time the spider makes the web, it doesn't put it across the path.

Do i have 'smart' spiders??

alec.

here's the most common one i have in my backyard, dozens of 'em,

the crablike spiny orb weaver:

http://troyb.com/photo/gallery/00007922.htm

the 'shell' is about 1cm across, but they make huge 1m nets.

alec.

Heh. Maybe you have got smart spiders?

You should make them do tricks and then set up a travelling act! Or not of course...

I just found a huge spider too! It's a vaguely brown colour, about as big as my hand and has big pincers! No actually....in reality it's about as big as...well a plug let's say. But I don't like spiders you see...how can I get it to politely leave?

here's a link to Troys gallery of pictures...

If Granny W. hasn't been nibbled to death in the night, perhaps she can find her spider in here somewhere.

http://troyb.com/photo/gallery/index.htm

Kat...it is always wise to treat spiders with a lot of respect and a wide berth until you know for certain what they are.

Just like snakes...assume they are ALL poisonous.

Have a look at the above link too and see if you can find it.

Best method for politely asking them to leave?

...an upturned container, preferably see-through, dropped over the top of the visitor, then a stiff card slid underneath...take him outside and let him go.

Could be he/she is just thirsty if it hasn't rained for a while where you are.

alec.