It has been a particularly bad year for spiders in South Eastern Australia. The weather has meant they have been prolific and I've noticed a surge in numbers on the balcony. Now I am a rather large arachnaphobe. Having been bitten twice I am most definitely shy of them. Redbacks and Whitetails have no room in my life, if I see them they get squished, end of story. Although things like Huntsmans and Daddy Longlegs do a great service to the house I do not wish to see them. They can lurk and hide and do their jobs, just dont come near me or I will let out the most ear piercing squeal and hide in the corner and cry until someone removes them. I am less fearful of little baby spiders, those cute little red mite-like ones for instance. The problem comes with garden spiders. I don't mind the little ones that scuttle away when I turn over a pot with my gloved hands. They can get a little bigger and although I will shudder and get nervous when I see them it isn't squishville for them. No I have a different type of garden spider, he is aggressive and comes at me with all guns blazing. Yes he is just being territorial and I do have a tendency to pull down his web so I'd understand the animosity. It is just that I have no time for a spider like this, oversized, over-aggressive and not welcome on the balcony garden.
Currently he lives in the metal railing of the balcony and I have little chance of catching him and either squishing him or releasing him somewhere else. If only he wouldn't be so aggressive and the webs are becoming a problem. The tricky question is do I spray them to eradicate them or just let nature be? Should I just let Mr Aggressive Arachnid live his life?
