How long can a spider survive under a cup?

[Steven W]

I don't get it. There's something different about the spiders in my house this year, they're huge! Like genetically modified huge!

I'm not scared to admit that they scare the life out of me, so what I do is try and catch them under a cup, but for the latest spider a cup just wasn't big enough - I had to use the a dessert bowl due to its enormous width.

Now, I know this is really cruel, so I apologise to any nature lovers, but I normally leave the spider under the cup for a few days and then they are dead (so I can hoover them up). But, recently I learnt my lesson after leaving a spider 5 days under a cup and then when I picked it up it scuttled out as if his time in solitary confinement didn't bother him; in fact I think it gave him to reflect on how him and his mates could go about scaring the living daylights out of me in the future.

So, this latest spider - you know the one under the bowl - I left for 7 days and lo and behold lifted the lid ever so slightly to make sure he was dead, but he was alive as well. How do they survive for that long? They are true soldiers of the insect world and for that they've finally gained my respect.

For all those who may moan at me for trying to kill a spider, I want you to know I have turned over a new leaf. I will now trap them and put a piece of cardboard underneath before releasing them in the back garden.

[Theo]

The yellow pages usually does the trick for me.

The missus has to know that it's dead before she can relax. She won't let me take them outside because "they might come back in". I do it as quick as I can, mind - none of this slow suffocation malarkey.

[noTHINGface]

Yup - I'm all about kill on sight, hate them with a passion. I don't tend to trap them under cups - I skate so have lots of skateboards/longboards about - favourite technique is to roll a deck across the floor and run him over from a safe distance.

[Hans Voralberg]

seal the bowl with silicone, make it airtight, or put piece of cardboard uderneath, submerge then put something heavy on top

[icanhazburger]

Theres a massive one in my bathroom, I dont kill them, and I get annoyed if my housemates do, if the monster one in the bathroom scares anyone I'll gladly move it.

Only bugs I willingly kill are wasps, there evil.

[MurphmanL]

I hate spiders with a passion i wont even attack them im so scared i just run if they are small enough i sometimes get a long book and let them crawl onto it, belt towards the toilet and make it so they crawl off and into the basin and then flush

However most of the ones recently have been too big and scary to deal with so i just leave them and hope they disappear. However if they are in my bedroom i insist on making them leave before i go to sleeep - i usually do this by throwing a book from a distance - if it lands on the spider and he doesnt come out - i leave the book there Most times, the spider is gone when i remove the book :/ strangely... but if he is there and flattened i also do a runner

[pollaxe]

Okay, this is one of my (many) pet hates - killing anything unnecessarily annoys me - people are far too quick to kill completely harmless things. Just catch them in a cup using a piece of paper to keep them in there and let them outside if you must. They can't and won't hurt you!!!

A lot of them are dying off this time of year anyway - I've found about 4 large ones nearly and actually dead in the office at work in the past two weeks.

[UltraMagnus]

spiders are evil...

just use the vacuum cleaner next time, that usually does the job for me.

either that or, if you can get it into a sink, use really hot water and boil the lil b****** alive

[MurphmanL]

Ultra, if u use the vaccum cleaner dont they usually get their revenge by surprising, startling or even escaping from you once you go to clean the hoover / turn it off so they can crawl back up the nozzle and to freedom and then persist in bothering you in future with new and improved tactics ?

[Howard]

Okay, this is one of my (many) pet hates - killing anything unnecessarily annoys me - people are far too quick to kill completely harmless things. Just catch them in a cup using a piece of paper to keep them in there and let them outside if you must. They can't and won't hurt you!!!

A lot of them are dying off this time of year anyway - I've found about 4 large ones nearly and actually dead in the office at work in the past two weeks.

Yeah same, I just either ignore them, hide, or try and remove them

[Stewart]

2 nights ago I reached for the Sky remote and a big one ran across my hand, over my tshirt and onto the floor and hid. I killed it.

I'm not going to start hunting them, but thats taking the piss. Leave me alone and I'll leave you alone. EDIT for Tigs - no naughty words

[TooNice]

I don't get it. There's something different about the spiders in my house this year, they're huge! Like genetically modified huge!

Take a picture next time
I've yet to see some really big spiders in the UK so far. Actually, I hardly ever see any. And, what happens when you just vacuum them when they are alive? I'd imagine they'd just get trapped and stay.

[UltraMagnus]

i have never had a spider come back out of the vacuum here, although i do tend to leave it sucking air for about 10 minutes afterwards just to make sure.

i have had some hooge ones here unfortunately (being an incredible arachnophobe) about 2-3 inches long... maybe bigger, its hard to judge whilst being terrified

[Optical668]

Theres a massive one in my bathroom, I dont kill them, and I get annoyed if my housemates do, if the monster one in the bathroom scares anyone I'll gladly move it.

Only bugs I willingly kill are wasps, there evil.

Agreed wasps are right little evil buggers bees or bumble bees are no problem i love them but wasps i hate them more than any other insect, spiders dont borther me one bit, i got about 3 in my room atm and dozens all over the house they patrol the window and ceiling keeping flys,wasps & other flying insects from annoying me. Housespiders spend their entire life indoors so putting them outside your not doing them any favours and they will most likly die, so put them somewhere else like a shed or garage if you can. If your not borthered about them like me just leave them be and let them carry on with their journey if i see one on the floor i normally pick it up with my hands and pop it in window or take him to my basement wheres theres loads of other spiders including females. Male spiders are most likly the ones your find exploring your house lost and scared they are just trying to find a female spider to mate with. Female spiders are the ones that make the webs and camp out waiting for a male spider to come by. So if you want to kill it then thats your choice but dont complain when you got flys and insects buzzing about in the kitchen spreading germs all over your food and annoying you.

Heres some spiders i have taking pictures off

http://img154.imageshack.us/my.php?image=spider1ey1.jpg
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/930/spider2vu7.jpg

[BUFF]

I've yet to see some really big spiders in the UK so far.

what do you call really big?
of course we don't have indigenous spiders like giant tarantulas, goliath bird eating spiders etc. ...

[pollaxe]

Take a picture next time
I've yet to see some really big spiders in the UK so far. Actually, I hardly ever see any. And, what happens when you just vacuum them when they are alive? I'd imagine they'd just get trapped and stay.

Tegenaria parietina - they can have leg spans of over 10 cm - the females are the biggest.
When you vacuum a spider you invariably kill it usually due to shock, unfortunately. Certainly they can't get out unless you empty the dust out (which if you've got to vacuum them up is the least you can do IMHO!)