An Increase in Spiders in the Area?

Ann Della Camera September 6, 2012 at 07:21 pm

I am well awear that spider are helpful, but I don't need this much help. I have been bitted as I slept and never felt it until I saw the bite marks. If you use spray starch it will kill the spiders, they seem to love insecticide. I hope to hear more on this and sent Julie a pic of the spiders we have here. I totally can't stand spiders.

Julie Weisberg (Editor) September 6, 2012 at 07:22 pm

Everyone: Ann just added a couple of her own pictures of spiders around her home here in East Haven. And she noted that one of them had a "creepy clown face" on its back — and I have to say that I agree!

CAjones September 6, 2012 at 07:48 pm

Yes it's true spiders are not cute and fluffy and there is almost nothing worse then accidentally walking through a web built in front of your doorway....yuk.
But, they really are mostly our friends, eating most varieties of disease carrying insects. With the West Nile virus running it's course in our area.......I say "hello" arachne.

Diane St John September 6, 2012 at 09:52 pm

Fall is definitely when the spiders spin their big webs everywhere. I welcome them as well as they will eat more bugs than anything else, including the mosquitos! If you go out early, many new webs pop up daily--the big halloween type webs and they are covered with dew. It's amazing such a small (well-yes-they seem big!) can make such an intricate web to catch its food. I just can't kill any of them outside-if a web is in my way I will knock it down gently with a stick and if a spider is in the house we will catch it with a cup and a piece of paper and let it out. (I guess if it was on my pillow and about to get me I would feel differently) Spiders are beneficial -please don't squash them, just try and stay away!

Flowers September 7, 2012 at 02:12 am

Spiders are our friends. Remember that all of Manhattan was saved from the Green Goblins nefarious rage by Peter Parker, a known spider.

Angels Among Us September 7, 2012 at 02:26 am

Lots more spiders this year, I wonder if that is what lead to the blight of impatience... anyone else have this problem?

Ann Della Camera September 7, 2012 at 03:33 am

I just want it known that I try hard not to kill any helpful insect, my hubby even will take a cup and catch a bee in the house and bring it out side. Just today he saved a butterfly from a stray cat. However this many spiders and so big, if one gets on me know that it will die. If it stays far away it stands a chance. We have just been dewebbing daily. I tried checking what kind of spider it is, took pictures of it. Looked it up and found that many are not deadly but are venomous and can make you feel sick. If anyone know what kind of spider this is with the clown face on its back, please let me know. Measuring to legs its about 2 inches round, scary as can be.

missy September 7, 2012 at 11:13 am

Does it have a hard back? If so we have some by our house and can't figure out what kind of spider it is. They are scary. I told my hubby they look like hermit crabs they're so big and you can see there fangs. I hope someone knows what kind of spider it is.

Clinton Resident - 40+ Years September 7, 2012 at 02:54 pm

I agree that there are definitely more spiders around than ever before! We have seen some pretty colorful ones this year.
Sidenote to Ann - It's "than usual" and "than ever", not "then" in your piece above. :)

Peter T. Cianelli September 7, 2012 at 04:22 pm

http://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Labyrinthine-Orb-Weaver-Spider........our spiders !!!!!

Julie Weisberg (Editor) September 7, 2012 at 04:25 pm

Peter: Thank you for finding this, that's great! The orb weaver. Cool. I'm reposting the link because I think it was broken in your comment above. Here it is: http://ow.ly/dxUJ0. And again, thanks!!

Barbara Haglund September 7, 2012 at 04:33 pm

Yes at my house in North Branford and my Parents in Branford they have been every where and no matter how many u kill there is more right behind them.Yuck my daughter is scared out of her mind of bugs to so needless to say I have took on the job of bug killer lol.

Regina Porto September 7, 2012 at 05:31 pm

Yes, yes, yes! Spiders galore this year! We have a very large variety that is black and hairy. It makes it web in no time and is hard to catch. I squirted one with the hose as it ran under my artborvitae bushes one evening shortly before my husband was due home. When he cam up the walk he said it had rebuilt a large web across the walk and was in the middle. I don't know what they are but they are creepy looking. Earlier in the season I got a few bites while working in the garden. A lot of my plants have withered and not done well but I don't know for sure that it's spiders.

ASmith September 8, 2012 at 03:32 am

Biggest spider web I seen is in town hall with that old high school. what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.

Ann Della Camera September 8, 2012 at 03:43 am

Thanks for the correction ClintonResident, but at my age trust me its more the ever, but you are gramatically correct. Thanks :)

Ann Della Camera September 8, 2012 at 03:46 am

Peter thanks I checked out the site and then read up on them. They can bite and not kill you but could cause a rash or make you feel a bit sick. If anyone want to cut down their population of spiders, use Spray Starch, it does work. I don't mind having a few around but this many is way to many.

Ann Della Camera September 8, 2012 at 03:48 am

Regina, use spray starch and soon you will not see any of these big ones. Most spiders I let live, but these are to scary. They look like they can carry your luggage.

Ann Della Camera September 8, 2012 at 03:49 am

Asmith, please seek help, this is not a political blog and the biggest web I know of is in you head. Just once stick to the issue.

Sharon O'Brien Parker September 8, 2012 at 06:41 pm

I admit there are logical, scientific reasons why there is more spider exposure and activity at this time yet, most everyone may be missing the very important messages Native American "Spider Medicine" offers. One message is that all of us need to be reminded that all life, all things are intertwined and connected. Like a spider web, our structured lives can topple and be wiped out in an instant. We need to remain focused and perservere to rebuild that which is necessary. Spider also expresses the need for connections, inspirations, communication, imagination, weaving/intertwining, creativity, wisdom and most of all, balance. God knows how much all of us could use balance in our lives for some reason or another. Webs, despite being built in and around our homes, are an important means for them to entrap their prey. Despite some occasional bites, they do help keep insect populations down.

EHmom September 8, 2012 at 07:17 pm

OMG...we have been getting spiders in our bedroom for the last 6 months! All the same kind. Not very big - brown and wispy - but fast! Three nights ago we killed 3, two nights ago another 3 and last night 4 (sorry but I'm not turning them loose to reproduce more!) There's got to be a nest somewhere but we can't find it. We do have air vents so we sprayed them and where the walls meet the ceiling (their favorite resting place!). Don't know what else we can do. Any suggestions short of calling an exterminator??

Ann Della Camera September 9, 2012 at 04:47 am

Sharon , I agree with some of what you said, spiders are helpful in many ways, and artist in web design. As you said it does remind us about life and structure. However if you had gotten the bites I have and they don't go away in a week or two, this is not acceptable to me. I will kill what gets in my home and we will distroy the webs so as to lower the population. This year there are just to many to have to deal with, and I am not one to want to kill any living creature. You responce was very well said. I appreciate the connection to life you made.

Ann Della Camera September 9, 2012 at 04:49 am

EHmon, use spray starch to kill them, and put some in the corners of where you see them most. These are biting spiders, I have the marks to prove it too.

Sarah Page Kyrcz September 9, 2012 at 07:50 am

Ok. I'm all itchy now after reading this! I hate spiders and they are EVERYWHERE!

Margery Parsell September 9, 2012 at 01:36 pm

We took pictures yesterday. There were 3 ENORMOUS spiders with webs at least 2 feet in length. The legs were black and white striped with brown bodies and bulbous bodies (sacs?). There was red on the underside of the body. We looked them up - definitely not your typical overgrown brown recluse which we have seen many over the years. The Internet search that we did determined they were "brown widows", although I am not sure because they aren't typical to this region.
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Flowers September 9, 2012 at 02:35 pm

The spider with the "creepy clown face " is a bozo spider and it will emit a honking sound if stepped on.

Dana Schmidt, RN, IBCLC September 9, 2012 at 06:05 pm

My front walk way,my inside walls, the yard, the cars. Yuck they are everywhere!

Sandcan September 9, 2012 at 06:26 pm

Tons of spiders this year. I spent about an hour yesterday cleaning out all the spider egg cases, webs, dead insects, and live spiders from the exterior of our home. I used to be very tolerant of spiders until my husband was bit a couple of years ago and ended up with a very bad infection: swollen leg, couldn't walk, missed work... Now I have no patience for spiders. I spray every year, but this year it did not seem to work. They are everywhere. Now I have a puppy at home and I fear that he will encounter a nasty spider when playing in the gardens around my house... There have been some man-sized webs lately! And spiders the size of a quarter!!

Barbi B. September 9, 2012 at 10:25 pm

...I'm adding photos of the Wolf-Spiders that have been hanging out at my house, and if all of those babies survive, I'll have plenty to share! Any takers? It's enough to make you want to put your shoes on! But...they keep the ants and beetles off the sidewalk.
I, too, have been bitten by spiders a few times...some pretty painful and scary wounds. I have one that left a scar. I try to leave all of the spiders alone, (most of the time, unless they're in the house and/or trying to take a shower with me) as I know they're an important part of our world.....but usually not without a bout with goosebumps and the hair standing up on the back of my neck... ;-) The two species that can be deadly and are found in Connecticut are the 'Brown Recluse' and the 'Black Widow'. Has anyone seen any of either of these?

Ann Della Camera September 10, 2012 at 02:28 am

Barbi, I have seen a brown recluse, in my house in my bed. They do not make a web, they like houses and hide in dark corners or places. Luckly I lifted my pillow and it started to run, I trapped it under the pillow and then screamed for my hubby, and trust me I did scream. He trapped it and we did not know until he took it somewhere and they told us what it was WHEW!!!, Now you know why I won't tolorate any spiders around. I have never seen a black widow in this area and hope never to encounter one.

George Habe December 19, 2012 at 01:50 am

A hearty "yes" from Long Island! These spiders are all over the place...I don't appreciate walking downstairs in the morning and being greeted by some huge spider on my wool rug...I think these spiders believe that if they just "freeeze" when spotted, we'll ignore them. I either drop a book on 'em and then suck up their remains with a dustbuster, or spray them with an ant and roach killer that's handy and watch them jump like crazy until they drop dead. I realize they're good for getting rid of other bugs, but they better do their business in the dark, and out of sight!