Hedgehogs

[Connemmara]

I am abslutely terrified of them - then if they are outside - dog barks horrendously at them. They hide underneath the shed and other neighbour's decking. not good animals in my 0pinion - sorrry

[Tilly2]

That was the only explanation I could think of Eccles.

[mazie]

Wouldn't bother me divebuddy...A rat might give me cause for concern though

[ferlew]

Mummy spiders are THE most fascinating critters.
Humans can manage between one and four babies, spiders have hundreds.

[pastafreak]

ferlew
Hedgies - rats?
Rats - hedgies?

Can you mistake them

In the dark...yes. I almost did a few years ago.
Though maybe rats move faster....

[pastafreak]

divebuddy...don't make assumptions about the ladies on here. I for one am not bothered by spiders. And I taught my daughter not to be when she was little. Our huge house spider was called Harry the hairy spider...

[ummmm]

Spiders don't bother me either.

I'm scared, not terrified, of certain types of stairs.

[pixie373]

I think conne has mentioned her fear of hedgehogs before. Probably is a phobia. I have one of spiders and it makes no difference how "useful" or "harmless" they are.

[Maydup]

No problem with spiders here either. I'm not sure what you base your presumptions on divebuddy. Maybe one "lady" in your life who isn't fond of spiders? There is one man in my life who dislikes risotto! Doesn't mean it applies to MOST or even many.....

[pastafreak]

Lots of "brave little soldiers" on here.....awww,how sweet! ;-)

[ferlew]

I admit to several spiders in residence here.
I am trying to think of a creature that would actually worry me.
Rats? No, just watch them.
Spiders, ditto.
Snakes, grass snakes are beautiful.
Errrrrr, suggestions on a postcard please.

[boxtops]

I have no problem with spiders either, in fact my house positively encourages them :-)

divebuddy, you're making assumptions which are seriously skewed!

[ferlew]

Night everyone, seems I am needed :)

[boxtops]

...ah, statistics.... well, the straw poll on here tonight seems to propose the opposite!

[Maydup]

Ahhh correction. If you google women fear of spiders, you'll see one article (published in several different newspapers) in sept 2009 on the subject. Again one does not equal many.

[woofgang]

I just went and read the article...here is the funniest bit
"The new research was headed up by developmental psychologist, Dr David Rakison, from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, 10 baby girls, and 10 baby boys were subjected to a number of pictures of spiders to gauge their reactions.
First the babies were shown a picture of a spider with a fearful human face, followed by images of a spider paired with a happy face - alongside an image of a flower twinned with a fearful face.

The results showed that the girls - some as young as 11 months old - looked longer at the picture of the happy face with a spider than the boys, who looked at both images for an equal time.
The researchers concluded that the young girls were confused as to why someone would be happy to be twinned with a spider, and were quick to associate pictures of arachnids with fear."

this is such a crap piece of research on so many ways that I am amazed that even the Mail published it.