Spiders

[Trav Le Bleu]

14 hours ago, jgtuk said:

We have a massive disconnect between “us” and “them” when it comes to wildlife. The world around us is alien - most people can’t even identify common trees, plants or basic animals. 
Being scared of flying insects, spiders, bats etc. is absolutely ridiculous and a learned behaviour and is probably a partial cause of the general wildlife decline we’re experiencing. The latest butterfly count has just been released and the results are not good. 

I know people who can't identify a blackbird.

 

It's literally a black bird. (Unless it's female or juvenile of course.)

 

There's people who don't know what the common or garden birds they see every day are.

 

"Look, there's a dunnock."

 

"Oh, I've never seen one of those!"

 

"Yes, you have, you really have, like practically every day you've stepped outside."

Edited 18 September 2024 by Trav Le Bleu

[Trav Le Bleu]

So many pussies in this thread.

[Bellend Sebastian]

With reference to the earlier story about the Australian builder being bitten on his knob by a black widow spider in a portaloo on two separate occasions, does anyone know if that species does generally attack the penis? 

 

I'm guessing not because with 2000 black widow bites in Australia annually, I'd have thought that if a high proportion of these were on the cock we'd hear more about it, or maybe it's got to the point it's so endemic it's just not seen as a big deal anymore.

 

As usual it's me that has to try and find out the facts

[Zear0]

12 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

So many pussies in this thread.

Talking about spiders not cats mate. 

[Wymsey]

14 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Without spiders, imagine all the flies constantly buzzing round you.

 

You're welcome.

I often wonder what are the point of flies, ie. what's their actual purpose?

[Zear0]

36 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

I often wonder what are the point of flies, ie. what's their actual purpose?

I see @Daggersand his nihilism has rubbed off on you (metaphorically). 

[Trav Le Bleu]

13 hours ago, Wymsey said:

I often wonder what are the point of flies, ie. what's their actual purpose?

Feeding spiders.

[jgtuk]

2 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Feeding spiders.

 

 

13 hours ago, Wymsey said:

I often wonder what are the point of flies, ie. what's their actual purpose?

Flies are one of the greatest contributors to pollination too. 

[bovril]

21 hours ago, jgtuk said:

But they are relatively easy fears to overcome, as I mentioned earlier, the fear is mostly learned behaviour as we all know spiders are harmless. 

I think a lot of 'irrational' fears like spiders, storms or flying awaken some kind of genetic memory within humans. Like our body is telling us this is a bad situation for us to be in. 

[BKLFox]

2 minutes ago, bovril said:

I think a lot of 'irrational' fears like spiders, storms or flying awaken some kind of genetic memory within humans. Like our body is telling us this is a bad situation for us to be in. 

Like my fear of being caught up in a match day thread 

[Vacamion]

 

There are venomous spiders in Africa, so I would imagine that the inbuilt dislike of even harmless spiders was selected for amongst our hominid forbears on that continent.

 

Much the same way that chimps that have never seen a snake will be scared of a rubber snake.

 

 

 

 

Edited 19 September 2024 by Vacamion
I spelled spiders as spuders

[Tommy G]

7 minutes ago, bovril said:

I think a lot of 'irrational' fears like spiders, storms or flying awaken some kind of genetic memory within humans. Like our body is telling us this is a bad situation for us to be in. 

People will associate fear of flying with the fact that if the plan crashes you're dead. If you face a spider, what are the consequences? Unless you are in an exotic part of the world, absolute nothing!

[fazzyfox]

I had a parcel of a dozen or so CDs from Australia via the cheaper longer Sea shipping option which arrived in a large box full of shredded paper, polystyrene chips etc as protective padding. I noticed some were covered in some kind of excrement, “charming” I thought.
 

I took out the contents and shook the packaging into a bin  and put it outside the back door. I went out a few hours later and there was a large web with a big spider in the middle with what looked like a dark baked bean on its back. Spider - back - red - Australia - oooooh s**t. My hand had been in the box fishing out CDs and paperwork.

My immediate concern was for my cat who would be likely to try to play with it if it saw it so I bravely knocked the spider into the bin bag with a broom and whacked it about 750 times (sorry, should have phoned a Zoo or something but was in panic mode). Then went inside and….locked the door????? Because we all know the reputation Red back spiders have with opening door handles! Went out later and it was back in a new web. This time I used a brick, swept it into the sack and tied a double knot (because we all know the reputation red back spiders have for untying single knots!) 

 

Still feel Queasy that my hand was rummaging around in the box with it.
 I remember telling the family about it, they asked “but how did you know it was an Australian Spider?” . “ Because it was wearing a corked hat and humming Waltzing Matilda” I replied!

 

[Elsie Effcee]

I don't mind them in the day but I'm paranoid in the dark at night. 

 

Edited 23 September 2024 by Elsie Effcee

[Trav Le Bleu]

Is now the time to inform people about camel spiders?

 

Not even spiders... but kind of worse?

[Torquay Gunner]

Just hoovered up a 3rd large spider in 2 weeks.  I do like our new house, but not enjoying our new friends. 

[AyewJoking]

On 22/09/2024 at 13:47, Trav Le Bleu said:

Is now the time to inform people about camel spiders?

 

Not even spiders... but kind of worse?

bit like a camel toe, except its your arsehole