English Spiders

[China Doll]

Does anyone know how big english spiders can get up to?

I have had what I can only describe as a mutant bug living under my bed for a few days. Last night it apparently came out from under the bed and was discovered by my neighbours who promtly killed it and got rid of the body (harsh I thought).

I had assumed it was a actually a stag beetle (having only seen its shadow one night) but have been told it was a spider and that neither of them had ever seen one that size before in England.

Is it possible to get spiders the size of a very large stag beetle over here? Are they getting bigger? Is the change in weather effecting their size?

Many Thanks.
China xx

[Nemesis9]

I was visiting Sri Lanka recently, and staying at an ecological resort . After checking in at around two in the morning I was shown into my chalet on the beach. To be on the safe side I gave it the once over, then got into bed and turned the light out, a minute or so later I remembered I hadn't set the alarm, so switched the light back on, only to find the biggest and most viscous looking spider I'd ever seen (the size of a dinner plate, yellow and black stripes, hairy legs) hanging from a thread just inches above me. Anyone who has seen 'Dr No' will understand to what use I put my shoe!

[aka pixi]

Im terrified of spiders and years ago my mate gave me a tarantula in a glass tank to try to overcome my fear of them.

For the first few weeks I made someone else lift off the lid to throw the crickets in to it. I would stand over the other side of the room looking at it, watching it move etc Although I was completely scared out of my wits by it I could appreciate how lovely and graceful it was. (I think it was called a Chilean Rose or something)

After weeks and weeks I had become brave enough to stand right up to the tank and watch it. One day I was watching it slowly crawl around the tank then all of a sudden it moved like greased lightning, caught a cricket and like the speed of light raced to the fork of a small branch where it had a web. I almost had an heart attack on the spot. I had no idea they could move so fast. The next day I gave it to a mate lol

[dave2222]

whiffey are you a regular drug user?

[kuhugaq]

hope it weren't this big http://www.extremescience.com/images/goliath-p late.gif
lol

[sharkymoran]

Please do not kill spiders, they are highly intelligent creatures with an IQ far greater than ours. This is proven by the fact that they developed web sites long before mankind invented the internet!!!

Apologies, I can never resist the opportunity to tell a bad joke.

[China Doll]

LFAO... nice one Sharky.

[sue11]

Some years ago a massive spider crawled out of a tool box we had bought in from the garage and up onto our hallway wall. It was a funny green gray in colour. We had to use a soup bowl to capture it as an ordinary glass was too small and we set it free in the garden. I always wondered if I should have attempted to find out what species it was. Anyone ever heard of a spider being this colour?

[China Doll]

Hi Sue,

If you google some of the suggestions on the first page one of the sites that should come up is by someone called Nick and he has a lot of stuff about them on there and pictures. Also it had loads of links to other natural history sites so I'm sure you'd be able to find what you're looking for. Good luck, let us know what you find!

[sue11]

Hi China Doll, many thanks, it may even have been the Wolf spider as it seems to be the only one that could have been the right colour and size. Good question you asked as it has bought out lots of interesting answers!
Cheers
Sue

[hundreddolla]

Does anyone feel itchy when reading this post!!!!!!

[M-Dogg]

did you say it looked like a mouse spider i looked that up on google and it was terrifying