Guide
How to stop spiders coming into your home
by Darina Schweizer
No elaborate decoration is necessary for a haunted house for Halloween. This is proven by the spiders that have haunted the living rooms of our Galaxus community.
I asked for it. In a recent article, I asked the Galaxus community to send me photos of their creepiest spider encounters
Many users didn't need to be told twice. Eight-legged friends in all shapes, colours and sizes have turned my inbox into a chamber of horrors. Just in time for Halloween, I'm sharing the scariest and most fascinating spiders here - arachnophobes may forgive me.
Let's start with this creepy basement find from a reader. The markings on the animal's back suggest that it's a house angle spider.
Let's stay within the dark walls. This specimen looks suspiciously like a Nosferatu spider with its skull-like markings.
Now nightmares are coming true. This eight-centimetre spider has ventured into a reader's bedroom. It's hard to tell which species it is from the photo. But with this sight, you might not want to look any closer.
This specimen spent a night in the bedroom of a reader who was on holiday in Lower Austria. The body pattern is strongly reminiscent of a cross spider.
One reader fell into the trap of this eight-legged creature. What caused the bigger scare - the spider (presumably a Nosferatu) or the payment slip - remains unknown.
This spider was less fortunate. The reader suspects that the eight-legged creature was taking a nap in her trousers. When she put them on, she felt a sting and squeezed the fabric. The result: a slimy stain under the back pocket. It is no longer possible to tell which spider it was. In any case, the bite looked like a horsefly sting and hurt for about half an hour, said the user.
Take a deep breath. Finally, here are the most impressive examples that users have sent me. One reader sent me a double pack of spiders: the first could be a Nosferatu spider, the second a garden cross spider. At least the two eight-legged creatures stayed outside.
This Nosferatu spider snuggled up under a reader's hot tub cover. No wonder he had a huge fright when he opened it.
Another reader was left breathless when he discovered this specimen (presumably a Nosferatu spider) in his motorbike helmet.
And finally, thanks to the users who tried to scare me by sending me fake spiders. The attempt was definitely a success.
I like anything that has four legs or roots. The books I enjoy let me peer into the abyss of the human psyche. Unlike those wretched mountains that are forever blocking the view – especially of the sea. Lighthouses are a great place for getting some fresh air too, you know?