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cyclonefence

(4,855 posts)
Fri Sep 8, 2023, 09:58 PM Sep 2023

This was the closest to an appropriate place to put this

The problem is that I am Miss Havisham except there's no wedding cake (well, there wouldn't be because I would have eaten it), with cobwebs hanging everywhere, mostly from the ceiling down to the lampshade. And I could occasionally deal with them (I have a feather duster) but then I found out that actual spiders make those long threads--I'd had no idea. They are "cob spiders" and I started looking for one. Aha! This one was small and looked like you'd think a spider that made that kind of web would look--dust-colored and sort of invisible. It was not very big, which is probably why I'd never noticed one.

Well, I like spiders and I don't kill them, even if I find one in the house. I knock down their webs if they're inside--I'm not a total doofus--but what to do about these cob spiders? If their whole web is this sad little dusty string of a thing, won't the spider starve if I knock it down? I couldn't leave them up in the downstairs. They really are conspicuous in certain spots. I have decided I won't knock all of them down, and I'll just hope any visitors don't notice or have the good manners not to point them out--yes, I've had company that's pointed out dirt in my house, mostly little children. Well, screw 'em.

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This was the closest to an appropriate place to put this (Original Post) cyclonefence Sep 2023 OP
if you are happy to live life according to the whims of spiders, it's all good nt msongs Sep 2023 #1
Our household policy: If they stay on the ceiling--okay; on the wall or floor--fair game! Backseat Driver Sep 2023 #2
When I was a little girl cyclonefence Sep 2023 #4
I never hurt a spider NJCher Sep 2023 #3

Backseat Driver

(4,622 posts)
2. Our household policy: If they stay on the ceiling--okay; on the wall or floor--fair game!
Fri Sep 8, 2023, 10:43 PM
Sep 2023

Spiders give me the creeps. A spider scream is an identifiable sound around here. We have high ceilings and there are places on stairways that reach up 15 ft. I would have trouble removing those dustbunnies/weblike structures for sure even w/extendable tools. I do "save" house/garage crickets and/or millipedes and shake them loose outdoors from paper towels. I flatten house flies dead with a swatter or whatever's handy and spray lots of hair spray on wasps/hornets; pollinator honey bees and bumbles rarely come indoors and I'd try to shoo them back outside if I can. Last night DH and I watched a young small praying mantis for a half hour climbing the outdoor pergola post--fascinating.

cyclonefence

(4,855 posts)
4. When I was a little girl
Sat Sep 9, 2023, 11:19 AM
Sep 2023

our elementary school had cloakrooms in each classroom, where we hung our coats and put lunches etc.

One day I brought in a praying mantis egg case I'd found (probably 2nd grade or so) and after it got passed around, the teacher put it on a shelf in the cloakroom.

That spring, lots of screams as all our coats and jackets were infested with baby mantises!

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