Quote Originally Posted by skortch View Post
I've gotten to the point where I either put most spiders outside or leave them be. I figure the reduced fly/mosquito/bug population is worth putting up with some heebie jeebies, especially in these West Nile days.

The main exception is Black Widows. Haven't seen any hobos or recluses, though they tend to be confused with other harmless spiders. (The recluse looks a lot like the common funnel weaver house spider, including body shape and a fiddle-like pattern on the cephalothorax. The OP photo doesn't look like a recluse, as others have said - legs look too stubby and the abdomen looks too large.)

OK, the other exception to the let-live rule is if they are crawling on me or dangling at eye level. Then I have to be in a very forgiving mood for them to avoid the big squish.
+1 The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I hate flies/mosquitos more than anything. However Black widow get an instant, almost immediate death, usually by poison then fire.

Wolf spiders I gladly escort to the door, and remind them they don't live here.


Treminx told me that spider walk higher than insects so they are less susceptible to poisons. I've also heard that Black widows can "close" their mouth so not to breath the poison. All hearsay of course.