Is it ok to kill spiders?
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That is the same species as far as I can tell, having googled the name you gave, it is the one I was thinking of at least.generals3 said:I actually meant these:(apparently called Pholcus phalangioides)
Didn't know the correct name and i've always called them house spiders because they are the ones usually nesting around in my house.
Who knew these forums could be so educational.stormeris said:
According to the wiki entry for the spider that Generals and I were talking about, it is referred to as a daddy long-legs, and so is the harvestman and Crane flys. Which explains the confusion I guess.
It is also indeed a cellar spider, and apparently exists pretty much all over the world, although in the UK at least we don't have any venomous spiders for them to eat, so they tend to stick to small flying insects.
I thought I'd seen everything when it came to the crazy stuff MLP fans come up with, but this... how does one even get the idea for this?Worgen said:Your sister would be horribly disapointed in you Sweetie Belle.
That's just it, though: you weren't encroaching on his territory...he was encroaching on your territory. By laying siege to and annexing your toilet paper roll, he left his own territory (the outside world) to invade yours (your home).Feedmeketamine said:
Personally I kill spiders on sight, but that's because I live in the American Midwest where there are a number of dangerous, venomous spiders (the Brown Recluse being the most famous/dangerous around here). I've got a rule though, and it stems from what I mentioned above: if they're in my house, they're on my turf. I don't want the little buggers crawling all around because this is where I sleep...and if you don't think spiders crawl all over you while you sleep well then you're either lucky or just plain wrong. I've woken up numerous times with spider bites on my hands and such. So yeah, any spider I see crawling on my wall is an act of war in my book, and as such I will engage the enemy without hesitation. On the other hand, however, I don't mess with spiders at all if I'm outside. Fair is fair, and now the tables have turned. When I'm outside, I'm on their turf so I leave them alone completely, and in fact avoid them as much as possible and do my best not to mess up their webs.
For starters, they're not insects, they're arachnids.krazykidd said:
"Just Being A Dick" aside, I don't know where you get off saying "almost harmless". I don't know if you live in an area of the world where - like the OP - there aren't really any dangerous spiders, but deadly things come in small packages my friend. I'd show a pic of a Brown Recluse bite buuuuuuut to keep from grossing out the entire thread I think I'll just tell you to google it so you can see it for yourself if you REALLY want to. Suffice to say it causes Necrosis, which melts a giant hole in your flesh. Also I'd imagine our forum friends in Australia would disagree with your "almost harmless" statement as well.
BloatedGuppy said:
Of course it's not okay to kill them, you unfeeling brutes! Spiderbros have your back! They're just trying to help you!
Seriously though, fuck spiders.
Being an Australian I do the one thing we all universally do, kill the ones that pose a threat (motherfucking red-backs in your shoes are the worst thing ever). Luckily most of our seriously nasty ones are easily recognisable. Funnel Webs, Red Backs, Trap Door Spiders, Mouse Spiders, White-Tails, some species of Tarantula, Recluse Spiders, Garden Orb Weavers and Wolf Spiders. The huntsman are actually some of the least likely to be a threat despite being large enough to eat tiny birds, and only about 2 or 3 of the bad spiders will venture inside a house let alone live inside them. I used to have a huntsman around my place and the pest problem went down significantly.
Basically, it isn't wrong to kill a spider if it's dangerous, if it's harmless then you don't have much to worry about and should make an effort to either leave them alone or take them outside. When I was younger I thought every spider was a danger and had to be killed if it was in my room but I've since discovered they are amazing for keeping the other pests away.
Basically, it isn't wrong to kill a spider if it's dangerous, if it's harmless then you don't have much to worry about and should make an effort to either leave them alone or take them outside. When I was younger I thought every spider was a danger and had to be killed if it was in my room but I've since discovered they are amazing for keeping the other pests away.
I've got something of an agreement with the spiders in the bathroom; So long as they don't crawl down into the tub or around me while I'm using the facilities, I let them alone because I don't really mind the "cellar"-type spiders, the slow ones with the long spindly legs and long, thin bodies. The spiders that get in the living room are a different story though. I hate those fat, hairy, fast buggers that look like Death personified which skitter all over the place popping up when and where you least expect it when you weren't paying attention.Zykon TheLich said:
Though in all fairness, it's mostly because for about two weeks out of the year this time of year tens of the bastards per day find their way inside and get all over the walls and curtains and crawl through all of my things. I'm not sure I can even count the number I've squashed in the last week and a half.
As okay as it is to kill any harmless or non-aggressive animal whose only crimes are existing and looking different from you. Which is to say, not at all okay, unless you're killing the spider for food and not out of irrational fear or malice.
And believe me, I do understand the fear. I used to be arachnophobic, and I've killed my share of spiders in the past. But after taking the effort to educate myself and break free of my phobia, I now can't bring myself to think of spiders as anything but the beautiful, fantastic creature that they are, and I feel guilty for every single innocent animal I've killed.
So just don't kill spiders, okay? Most of them are 100% harmless to humans if you don't have some sort of rare allergy, and even when it comes to the "deadly" ones, their actual danger to humans is usually overblown. If there's a spider in your house that you feel uncomfortable having around, it's generally just as easy to scoop it up in a container and take it outside. Even then, I'd only do that with very large spiders or spiders that have planted themselves in inconvenient areas, since having a few spiders hanging around the house can be good for keeping the populations of actually harmful pests under control.
And believe me, I do understand the fear. I used to be arachnophobic, and I've killed my share of spiders in the past. But after taking the effort to educate myself and break free of my phobia, I now can't bring myself to think of spiders as anything but the beautiful, fantastic creature that they are, and I feel guilty for every single innocent animal I've killed.
So just don't kill spiders, okay? Most of them are 100% harmless to humans if you don't have some sort of rare allergy, and even when it comes to the "deadly" ones, their actual danger to humans is usually overblown. If there's a spider in your house that you feel uncomfortable having around, it's generally just as easy to scoop it up in a container and take it outside. Even then, I'd only do that with very large spiders or spiders that have planted themselves in inconvenient areas, since having a few spiders hanging around the house can be good for keeping the populations of actually harmful pests under control.
Sorry, but I'm going to choose to not google something that terrifies me and gives me heeby-jeebies when I see it. I'll take your word for it, I guess.TizzytheTormentor said:
I've killed intrusive mammals; mice and a raccoon. Mice are easy with traps and fragile size. The raccoon I did with a heavy shovel with a long reach, once I cornered it. Fucking mess. At least I got a decent night sleep afterwards, no more nocturnal bumping and scratching.
This is all to say that spiders don't bother me; in both senses. I'll kill them if they bother me in any way, but generally I let most of the small ones run around with impunity. I call them my little custodians.
This is all to say that spiders don't bother me; in both senses. I'll kill them if they bother me in any way, but generally I let most of the small ones run around with impunity. I call them my little custodians.
Urgh, they freak me out. Hate it when they touch me, but I also hate getting their innards on me, so I don't like squishing them with tissues. I usually try to catch them in a glass against a flat surface, shove a paper or cardboard under it and kick them out of my apartment. The glass goes straight in the dishwasher afterwards, though.
I'd say it's perfectly fine.
Either you don't attach value to invertebrate life, in which case there's obviously no problem.
Or you do and you're just putting a stop to a spider's indiscriminate slaughter of flying insects, they don't just get stuck in those webs when the spider's hungry you know.
Unless you're one of those racists who cares only about certain invertebrates that is...
Either you don't attach value to invertebrate life, in which case there's obviously no problem.
Or you do and you're just putting a stop to a spider's indiscriminate slaughter of flying insects, they don't just get stuck in those webs when the spider's hungry you know.
Unless you're one of those racists who cares only about certain invertebrates that is...
Lucky you. i live in Australia where the majority of the spiders (and snakes, and most of the other wildlife) here can probably kill and/or maim you horribly.Feedmeketamine said:
is it wrong to kill spiders?
in your case id say kinda, you have no real reason to kill them other than your adverse reaction to them, and if you tried im sure you could spend some extra time scooping them up and moving them elsewhere.
in my case however, i only scoop and move them if they look big and hairy, because thats usually the safe ones to be near. if its a smaller spider with any colour or marking on them its time to break out a new can of bug spray and a match, for a nice double dose of spider death.
Spiders kill the most annoying creature knows to mankind, flies, as long as they continue to kill flies I will do them no harm. Plus they're kinda cuddly with their little eyes and long legs.
Once I have seen it in my house - it must die. I can't sleep knowing it's in here, somewhere.
I can only describe it as total and utter repulsion. When I see one of those great big house spiders... that walking, scuttling motion. It honestly makes me want to vomit. I feel physically sick.
There was one on my ceiling the other day and I had to find the biggest, longest item with which to squish it in the fastest way possible. A good stiff broom did the trick. Then whack with a shoe for good measure.
If you put it outside... it WILL come back in you know.
EDIT: For reference I live in England and it's unlikely that any spider here will actually harm me. I do also feel bad when killing any insect but the fear just takes over.
I can only describe it as total and utter repulsion. When I see one of those great big house spiders... that walking, scuttling motion. It honestly makes me want to vomit. I feel physically sick.
There was one on my ceiling the other day and I had to find the biggest, longest item with which to squish it in the fastest way possible. A good stiff broom did the trick. Then whack with a shoe for good measure.
If you put it outside... it WILL come back in you know.
EDIT: For reference I live in England and it's unlikely that any spider here will actually harm me. I do also feel bad when killing any insect but the fear just takes over.
That image... evokes a fear in me that I can't explain. I can't even bare to look at the screen! I wish that wasn't a real thing!stormeris said:
Well, i'm all up for killing puppies. Cause those spawns of devil scare me MUCH MORE than the itsy bitsy spiders, hahahaSimpleThunda said:
Seriously, Dogs are fucking scary. It's enough for one to bark in general direction of me and i'll freeze close my eyes and start shivering
Cats>Dogs 24/7
I'm a man, and as such my duties around the house include fixing things, and smashing spiders. That's just how this world works.
