4/15/09

Uh-oh we have a crisis in progress!

I think most of you looking at this, won't know what it is?

Well this contraption is so important to me, that despite it having been falling apart for the past 10 years, I have determinedly hung on to it. It has traveled to various hot locations worldwide with me, its exact location is known to me at all times, and it even crossed the pond with me! I have only ever seen one like this and so I bought it without hesitation.

Here's a clue below!

Yes, I am a huge arachnophobe and this has been my trusty spider catcher for the past 15 years. Spiders have a nasty habit of tracking me down when I'm alone and I then have to deal with them myself. Let me paint a few pictures for you to demonstrate the level of my arachnophobia.

I once spotted a huge Harvester spider (big with long legs) high up on the wall above a landing when home alone. I was so desperate I attempted to throw a small plank of wood at it, of course it fell back and hit me on the shoulder instead! The spider took flight and I ran screaming from the house.

I totally freak out if I have to kill one by stepping on it, as then I have made indirect contact with it and I just cringe. Picking one up in a glass is the same, as it looks like it's in direct contact.

An old boss of mine was once on the phone in his office, which had a glass wall. I am walking to the kitchenette carrying his teacup, when he see's me start running backwards, trip, fall ass over tit and then crawl away screaming. Yep another of those big Harvesters had decided to run at me across the carpet! My boss was so alarmed he dropped his phone and ran out to check what was up, needless to say I never lived it down!

You'd think having cats would help, but no they like to play with them first and then they eat them, and then I can't touch them for awhile - utterly paranoid I know!

At one point in my life, my mum thought sending me on the Archnophobia course at London Zoo was a good plan. But their idea of getting you over it, was to put a Tarantula on your hand and that was not in my life plan!

So my trusty spider trap works by having a long handle (1/2 of which is long gone!) to keep it at arms length. Then you put the clear trap (which they don't see coming) over it, twist it to close the trap door enclosing the spider safely inside. Then you carry it outside and turn the trap the other way, the door slides open and the spider is released - spider trap perfection!

But now one of the crucial edges that the trap door slides on snapped off, it's finally beyond repair. So I am off to google for a replacement and in the meantime I am feeling highly vulnerable and with my luck, you just know there's a spider somewhere in here rubbing it's legs together with glee!

Any other arachnophobes with good capture idea's out there?

39 comments:

LadyFi said...

I have the exact same trap! I like spiders, but am terrified of big bumble bees and wasps. Actually, I usually swat the wasps, but use the trap to carry out the bees.

magiceye said...

oh wow!
good thing that you release it back to come and play 'catch me if you can' again!

Its Just Me - Daring to Dream said...

I remember you posting this contraption a year ago about another insect that came your way. I think I need one too...(all girls should have one!)

Lou said...

I didn't know there was such a thing but I'll look to get one for myself as I have similar issues. All the hairs on my arms are standiong up after reading your post.

antigoni said...

I want a trap, too. I hate spiders. And we have a lot because of the garden. In all sizes. When i have to kill one of them, it's my worst moment.

Kay said...

I pretty much moved away from Hawaii just to get away from the cane spiders that look like your harvester spider. I hate HATE HATE them. Yes, I am another arachnaphobic. You're far braver than me. I don't even want to get that close to it to use a trap like yours. I don't even like looking at photos of it. Yuuuuck.

Strange Mamma said...

Sorry, no help with the spider trap, just and understanding *pat, pat*. My roommate had arachnophobia. Now she was a screamer anyway, whatever the news she would scream. But I always knew when it was a spider, she had a very specific scream for that and I would always grab a kleenex and go to her room to find her up on some piece of furniture just a bout frozen. She got so that she could at least point me in the right direction after a while. I never laughed at her, but I might have if I'd seen the sight your boss saw through his window :).

Silverback said...

Can't help you with any catching techniques or contraptions as if I spot a spider, I just let it run around till it's found a hiding place it likes !

What about keeping a small (Dirt Devil ?) vacuum cleaner handy to suck up the suckers ?

But I had to laugh at you regarding stepping on a spider as being indirect contact ! I think the spider would regard being stood on as pretty DIRECT contact !

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Ummm... I'm not sure arachnophobia and your new hobby of geocaching are compatible.

A Brit in Tennessee said...

http://www.gizoo.co.uk/products/homegarden/home/spidercatcher.htm

Sarah, try this site. Not what you have, but one worth looking at.

:)

Mabel + Lola said...

Oh you poor thing...I feel the same way about frogs!....I can't say that I like spiders either.

Girl Tornado said...

I'm an arachnophobe, fershur! I only kill them when forced to, e.g., when hubby is not around. He's in Seattle until the 24th, and with spring almost here, the spiders are beginning to arrive in the house... I had to suck one off the ceiling the other day with the vacuum, and yesterday as I sat on the bathroom floor putting new handles on the vanity doors, one crawled out of a cupboard and scared me to death... I had to grab it with a tissue (I know, blech, but I had to get it before it got me!) and throw it in the toilet for certain death!

So I guess I can't help you with a special tool I use... when forced to it, I just deal with it, but if hubby's around, I run screaming out of the house!!! :-)

(When he returns, it is time for him to spray insecticide around the foundation of the house, an absolute MUST out here in rural-land!)

Joan said...

What a cool contraption. My fears are crickets and we find them in every room of our house so I'm thinking I definitely need one of those traps.

Unknown said...

Lady Fi - where di you get it and was that recently?

Magiceye - I know!!LOL

Brit - yep I found this online, but I am just not sure it's a secure way of trapping them without dropping them again!

OzGirl - Oh I hear ya and yes the Hubster sprays around our foundation too, essential!

Jill of All Trades said...

I like that trap thing. I don't mind spiders and have played with a trantula a time or two but HATE them in the house. Have a real problem when they find their way inside. YUCK!!! Have dreams about them... I like your trap thingy, may have to have one of those.

Sherri said...

That's a cool trap!! Hope it does the job for you!

Also stop by my blog you've been awarded the Friend Award by me!!

Daryl said...

I am not a big fan of any creepy crawly critter .. no matter how many legs .. as a kid I was taunted by other kids who would wave hand fulls of grass at me and of course I always believed it was a spider not just grass ... at one point if I stepped on a creepy crawly I wouldnt wear the shoes again ... Husband learned quickly when I cried KILL IT it meant come running and be prepared to step on or swat at and then clean away the corpse

I wish I had something to suggest to continue to catch/release spiders but I dont ...

Daryl said...

http://www.spidercatcher.net/US/home.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS50Zej9gBo

I found this

mrs. fuzz said...

Oh, I would love to get one of those for hubby who is an arachnaphobe as well. Whenever there's a spider in the house, he wants me to call someone to come and get it. Our daughter has a spider book and left it out one day. HE was shaking as he turned the book over so he wouldn't have to look at it.

You have a great blog!

Lilli & Nevada said...

what a neat contraption i don't like spiders either

Anonymous said...

OMG, I can't believe you've posted a picture of a big, black hairy thingy. It's sent shivers down my spine. Or is it up my spine? Like the contraption though!

CJ xx

Esther Garvi said...

Now THAT's something for my friend Anette who is TERRIFIED of spiders! I on the other hand freak out at the sight of cockroaches...

Bella Foxx said...

I keep the spiders around so they will eat the centipedes. **Shudder**

Expat mum said...

Hypnosis - it'll probably be cheaper than replacing the contraption!!!

Bogey said...

You are not alone in with your spider issue. I hate them. They just seem to appear out of nowhere. Sitting at a picnic table once, I watched in fascination as a mudwasp attacked a spider and literally tore it apart. I guess they don't like spiders either.

Peggy said...

Eweeeeeeeeeeee...I don't like anything crawing around on me. I perfectly understand....hope you find you your trap soon.
PS don't look up until you find one!!!

Kelly said...

http://www.betterware.co.uk/productdetails.aspx?pid=034589&cid=127&language=en-GB

Here you are.....this is what you are looking for. The exact same thing as you had before I believe..........I had one in the UK too

karen said...

poor you!although I am quite fond of spiders, I have the utmost sympathy...hope you find a replacement very soon! :)

Roses and Lilacs said...

I'm not fond of spiders either. Imagine my panic when I read that the Georgia Agricultural Extension service said any of us are not usually more than 3-feet from a spider at any time. Most spiders must be either tiny or behind a wall or something. Still...eeeeek!

I'm happy when my cats eat one. That means I don't have to deal with it. Good kitty.
Marnie

Anonymous said...

I stumbled upon your site and read about this spider trap and I have never heard of one but a great idea! My only wonder is once you have it trapped then what the heck do you do with it? I share your fear but ether I have my husband kill it or if he is not around I find a heavy magazine or shoe to smash it with (screaming while I hit it). If I miss then I run away screaming. Sometimes my dogs wil get them and chew them up but only when they feel like it!

Paige
http://thenotsosecretlifeofmrsp.blogspot.com/

Gaelyn said...

It sure is a cool looking gadget. Hope you find a replacement.

When I was a kid spiders stopped me in my tracks followed by a loud scream. But now I think they're really cool, although I try not to touch them.

Kris said...

What a clever little thing. Let me know when you found where to purchase a new one. I would love to get one for myself.

I'm completely scared of spiders too.... I'm not so nice to spiders and spray bug spray on any spider I find in the house. This is a nice solution because it kills them in an instant and Miles cleans up the dead little body for me... and I never even have to touch it!

Jo, a retired teacher said...

Apparently there are lots of us who can't bear spiders. Personally, I'm not crazy about most things that have more than 4 legs..and the more legs, the less I like them. Good luck replacing your trap.

Linda said...

Here are a couple of web sites that sell insect catchers.
http://www.naturepavilion.com/dcikabugspin.html
http://www.onlinesciencemall.com/Shop/Control/Product/fp/SFV/30852/vpid/5086620/rid/126318/vpcsid/0
Or here's a site that shows you how to make your own. http://www.cs.nyu.edu/~barrett/spidercatcher/
Good luck.

Lynn said...

I've never seen one of those gadgets.

To be honest, I'm not very afraid of spiders. As long as I can see them. Big spiders are cool but I hate the tiny ones because they move so fast and then I can't see where they went and that worries me.

BTW, fans of big spiders will love bighairyspiders.com

Sandy said...

You should have warned me about that spider picture. *shudder*

Hope you can find a new catcher to use.

Flea said...

I HATE SPIDERS. Fortunately, I have two boys who willingly kill them for me. In Florida there were always spiders in our house, so I lived in terror year round.

Just the other day we were talking about not having seen any spiders in the house in the two years since we've moved to Oklahoma. One more reason to love Tulsa!

sjvdijk@yahoo.com said...

Hi from Amsterdam, Holland..

I've been reading your blog now and then, love the pictures you take. Hope the spider image was googled and not actually in your house.

http://www.luxebugaway.com/bugaway.htm

http://www.hiddink-ip.nl/spinnenvanger.html

And I would release them in the next state instead of taking them for a trip outside your home... so they can crawl back in again?

bibi, Sj

Mab said...

I love that idea! I'll bet it would work on the giant cicada I found on my floor a couple of years ago! thank you!