The plus side of winter

[kevinkk]

I have noticed something. There are fewer spiders in my house now that it is the cold season. A plus,
since earlier this year I caught 2 giant and creepy spiders in my house. When someone with a life size tarantula
tattoo on his back says a spider is big and creepy, it is. Giant House spiders to be specific, and aptly named.
The only down side are the ants, who are looking for warmer and drier digs. The spiders are lucky, they get
captured and tossed outdoors, unless they don't fit in my spider jar... The ants, are well, out of luck, they eat
ant bait at least until they come in formation and overwhelm the bait, a sound strategy, unless you're the bridge.

[58chevy]

If you have them, show us pictures of the giant house spiders, along with something to show the scale.

[kevinkk]

I tossed them outside. One may have limped away... if any more show up in the future, I'll get a picture.

[MikeH]

very similar species, Eratigena agrestis, invasive in US

[MikeH]

Eratigena atrica, also invasive in US, photo from wikipedia

[adamcotton]

We have common huntsman spiders here in and around my house in Chiang Mai, similar in appearance but fully grown definitely larger than the one on the dollar bill above. They run around the house and garden at night and hunt insects, particularly cockroaches.

Adam.

[Chuck]

Move north, you won't have these problems.

The only thing we get indoors in winter are the gangly cobweb spiders. The vacuum takes care of those.

[Panacanthus]

One of my least favorites here in Arizona is the giant crab spider. They “teleport” on any surface. Similar to a huntsman I suspect. I’ve had a couple of them run across my hand while doing yard work. Takes a couple years off my life every time!

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[MikeH]

Move north, you won't have these problems.

Seems they'll over most of the northern US eventually, probably tagging along when people move.