Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: kerpoise on 10/09/2004 10:36:27

Title: Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider, Man.
Post by: kerpoise on 10/09/2004 10:36:27

I found a HUGE spider yesterday in my basement flat - about the size of my palm - including legs. I live in the UK - well, North Wales. I think it was a Wolf Spider, slightly furry and light brown. It was waving its legs like crazy, like pulling in its web - but not. Was it molting? I found a skin on the floor, about 2/3 the size of the spidey, could this be from him/her? I also found a slightly smaller one the other day, but still pretty big for me! Could I have loads of them? I think the big one came in through a crack in the ceiling beams and the smaller one lived in the cupboard under the stairs. Oh God - the horrific cupboard under the stairs.[V]

Title: Re: Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider, Man.
Post by: Tann San on 10/09/2004 12:16:11

didnt the movie arachnophobia start with something like that... :¬)

Title: Re: Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider, Man.
Post by: neilep on 10/09/2004 20:16:33

Hi Kerpoise, welcome to the site........Spidey may have just been waving at you !![:D]....I doubt you've got hoards of them....I've never known that to happen except when lots of tiny baby spiders hatch.....don't worry about it...but I'm sure a 'spider expert' will answer you in good time... house spiders are our friends, they catch all the horrible flies and stuff...as far as I know North Wales is still part of the UK.[;)]

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !' (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.world-of-smilies.de%2Fhtml%2Fimages%2Fsmilies%2FSchilder2%2Finsanes.gif&hash=4f18432872d0188852a6f4a3170ec758)

Title: Re: Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider, Man.
Post by: tweener on 11/09/2004 03:16:29

Spiders are fun!  When we find a huge wolf spider like that we let it be and watch it over the next several weeks.  Sometimes even feed it insects and such.  Don't sweat it unless it is a poisonous one, in which case, a shoe is your best defense. [:)]

----
John - The Eternal Pessimist.

Title: Re: Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider, Man.
Post by: roberth on 13/09/2004 00:07:31

And yes, spiders do moult and it's likely that the skin you saw was from your spider. The only spiders I've seen moult before were Huntsmen and they eat the skin rather than leave it laying around.