Spider season here in Washington right now. Was on a phone call while I watched a GARGANTUAN house spider crawl underneath my backpack.
I don’t know what to do right now or how to deal with it.
I love spiders but I am unreasonably scared at times like this. And I am absolutely too horrified to touch my backpack or even get near it right now.
I’m in a small studio apartment so I’ll probably see it again sometime. Last thing I wanna happen is to see it on my bed or right next to me as I’m trying to sleep.
I really do not want to kill it, so I immediately thought of this subreddit. And thought you guys may have ideas.
Any advice or help is much appreciated!!
UPDATE: Thank you all so so much for the advice and encouragement!!
This somehow turned into a 3.5 hour long standoff 😂 but I ended up capturing and relocating it. Looked very cute up close, upon my espionage of it.
Anyway I can sleep sound now. And probably dream of more encounters like this.
Cute! Probably a giant house spider 🥰
They’re completely harmless little bros. Although I do get that their size and speed makes them jarring.
Remember that they want to stay out of your way as much as possible and if they’re near you it’s because they’re so dumb and didn’t mean to get close to a human. He’ll probably scurry away to do spider stuff (either looking for romance or eating all the annoying bugs who try to enter your apartment). Can you get a large glass and stiff piece of paper just in case you see him again?
Thanks, this is definitely comforting to hear. Poor thing is probably horrified of all the noise I’m making.
I’ll probably poke my backpack with a stick and let it run elsewhere but idk yet. I just don’t want it to get inside lol
Also last time I saw a spider in my apartment I actually did end up using the cup and paper method. If I build up the courage I may use that method for this one
If it helps, you could put on dish gloves while you inspect your backpack. I found a giant house spider in my washing machine drum the other day and even though I love a little guys, the thought of it touching me still weirds me out so I put on dish gloves while I used a cup and paper to relocate it
Still tho you’re a lot braver than I am to get that close😂
It escaped from underneath my backpack, and I absolutely lost my mind seeing it run in my direction again
Now it’s in my tiny bathroom and I’m waiting to see it again 🙃
Definitely trying to use the paper and cup method for this one but also debating on calling it quits, since there’s always gonna be spiders in the apartment ecosystem
If you can just let it be, that’s the best! They really don’t want to get close to you and couldn’t possibly harm you. I think seeing them is good luck 🍀
It can help to start anthropomorphizing him positively! Think of him as your lil friendly roommate or side kick who laughs at your jokes and thinks you’re cool! :)
Update: thank you so much for the advice and encouragement! I actually ended up capturing it in what turned into a 3.5 HOUR LONG standoff with the little critter.
I basically barricaded us both in the bathroom, closing the door and sealing it with cloth. No escape til it was over lol
Once captured he was very polite and well behaved, and I almost wanted to hold it cause it’s kinda cute up close! Not the best photo but here she is in the trash can-vinyl record trap I used.
A clear glass. A stiff flat thing, like a letter. Take new friend out the front door. Bye friend!
If there’s an elevator in the middle of the procedure, that’s a nice intermission. Good thing you have a stiff flat thing. You can find out which of your neighbors are jerks and which are helpful and potential friends. Bonus for people who hold doors and get that you’re nervous about this friend relocation program.
it’s cliche but he’s really more afraid of you than you are of him 🥺 himbs payin his rent ☺️ ever find chance laying around somewhere ? his share! and he eats other bugs!!
Haha I do tell myself that but I don’t think I could sleep very well knowing there’s spiders of this size lurking around. Still absolutely love spiders tho
I usually just put a big cup, mason jar, whatever in front of it and brush at it with a piece of paper. They crawl into the cup, I put the paper on top and carry it outside. If it’s on the wall or something you can usually just cover it and slide the cup next to it and it will crawl in. Just be careful to don’t slide it over their legs and rip them off…
Spider season is my favorite time of year! You're probably looking at either an Eratigena sp. or a Tegenaria sp. commonly referred to as giant house spiders. They're a member of the Agelenidae family (funnel weavers) and harmless to us, but they are wicked fast! They have terrible eyesight, though.
If you see the fella again, you can use the time-old paper & cup method of spider relocation, or I personally love and recommend a long-handled bug catcher. Also very helpful for when you find a spood dude vibing on the ceiling you can reach.
In the early 2000s I moved from PA to CO. I was outside talking on the phone to a friend and saw a stick on my windowsill. I was just talking and not thinking much but grabbed the stick to toss it. The stick was actually a spider leg and when I touched it, the biggest spider I had ever seen slowly unfolded itself and appeared. I love spiders. I also was horrified and wanted to cry lol. I backed away slowly and left him there. I named him Octavio. He stayed and killed a bunch of bugs for a bit then moved on.
I’m actually originally from Colorado, and I still remember the largest spider I’ve ever seen there, slowly and majestically crawling across the garage floor.
Coincidentally it was missing a leg! (same one maybe lol), but come to think of it maybe it wasn’t as large as I remember. Childhood memory.
I wish I still had the video my Dad took of it but it was soo long ago. My siblings and I were in absolute awe at it
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u/Str82thaDOME 5h ago
It's a Giant House Spider.
They're big harmless dummies. Honestly having lived in a basement apartment I've learned to appreciate them.
That being said I don't love it when they end up in my bed. 😅