Giant Spiders

[blockhead]

Has anyone else noticed an influx of big spiders in their homes recently? Now I'm not talking about the usual big house spiders. These are giants, with big hairy legs and large bodies. They go like the clappers too! Don't bother me too much but the wimmin are freakin out.

[domhnallj]

Has anyone else noticed an influx of big spiders in their homes recently? Now I'm not talking about the usual big house spiders. These are giants, with big hairy legs and large bodies. They go like the clappers too! Don't bother me too much but the wimmin are freakin out.

It's been a good year for them. Now they're coming inside to overwinter,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34026269

[Peg Leg]

Watch out for the shiny ones. They're false widows.

[Hornet]

Have not seen one in the house since we placed a bowl of conkers on the dining table.

[hugonaut]

Have not seen one in the house since we placed a bowl of conkers on the dining table.

Tell me more! I've no beef with spiders, I just love stuff like this. How is that supposed to help?

[domhnallj]

Have not seen one in the house since we placed a bowl of conkers on the dining table.

Tell me more! I've no beef with spiders, I just love stuff like this. How is that supposed to help?

They don't like it up 'em

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science ... nuts.htmlj

Although it might not be true

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science ... nkers.html

[fourthirtythree]

Isn't the telegraph more or less the daily mail when it comes to science?
I'd be flabbergasted if it worked. Plenty of conkers outside...

[domhnallj]

Isn't the telegraph more or less the daily mail when it comes to science?
I'd be flabbergasted if it worked. Plenty of conkers outside...

Possibly or maybe probably

The school children got their award from the Royal Society of Chemistry though, so not to be sneezed at. Anyway, something for the school teachers on this board to do with their charges this Autumn?

[Hornet]

Isn't the telegraph more or less the daily mail when it comes to science?
I'd be flabbergasted if it worked. Plenty of conkers outside...

http://www.scienceworld.ca/blog/do-hors ... iders-away

Seems to work for us. Haven't had the other half screaming in terror from seeing those eight legged beasties for some time.

[johng]

Many years ago. I lived in ground floor flat in a foreign city which backed onto a square with many other flats around it.

I was sitting in my underwear watching the Olympics and having a beer etc......

My then girlfriend was in the shower which was a few feet from the back door left open because it was hot.

I heard a blood curdling (and I mean loud) scream from the shower.

I reasonably assumed that someone had come in the back door and was up to no good, so I jumped up spilling beer etc everywhere, RAN in pausing briefly to pick up a knife in the kitchen.

When I reached the shower I was surprised to find……

A F*CKING SPIDER!!!!

I did make her clean up the living room in fairness.

[fourthirtythree]

Isn't the telegraph more or less the daily mail when it comes to science?
I'd be flabbergasted if it worked. Plenty of conkers outside...

http://www.scienceworld.ca/blog/do-hors ... iders-away

Seems to work for us. Haven't had the other half screaming in terror from seeing those eight legged beasties for some time.

3. Horse chestnuts are inedible, which may support the idea that they contain some chemicals noxious to spiders. Some have suggested you need to open the chestnut up or poke holes in it to take effect.

I'd better stop eating them!

On further extensive research i.e. "horse chestnut eat" google

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/whats_the_ ... _chestnuts

So, what I'd call conkers are sweet chestnuts, which are very edible (but like most natural sources of carbs require cooking for humans to not feel sick see also spuds, yam etc.) are you using something different?

[Hornet]

Isn't the telegraph more or less the daily mail when it comes to science?
I'd be flabbergasted if it worked. Plenty of conkers outside...

http://www.scienceworld.ca/blog/do-hors ... iders-away

Seems to work for us. Haven't had the other half screaming in terror from seeing those eight legged beasties for some time.

3. Horse chestnuts are inedible, which may support the idea that they contain some chemicals noxious to spiders. Some have suggested you need to open the chestnut up or poke holes in it to take effect.

I'd better stop eating them!

On further extensive research i.e. "horse chestnut eat" google

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/whats_the_ ... _chestnuts

So, what I'd call conkers are sweet chestnuts, which are very edible (but like most natural sources of carbs require cooking for humans to not feel sick see also spuds, yam etc.) are you using something different?

Horse Chestnut seeds have always been called conkers from my part of the world. I used to go conkering as a kid in the 60's. Played conkers at school. There is even a World Conker Champion.

http://www.worldconkerchampionships.com/

(Better book your flight quick for this year's Championship. It's in October)

As for spiders, I would never kill one, just throw it back into the garden. They are far more an asset than threat, even though my other half disagrees!

[fourthirtythree]

Pretty sure we would have called either kind conkers when I was a kid.

Looking here
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning- ... -chestnut/
they appear to have a picture of the spiky sweet chestnut casing rather than the smoother horse chestnut
http://www.irishwildflowers.ie/pages-trees/t-6.html

Here are sweet chestnuts displayed with their casings
http://www.ireland-guide.com/article/ch ... .8210.html

Anyway, not too worried about getting rid of spiders.

Anyway, good to eat. I'm very fond of them, nice for a thick rich soup (like pumpkins at this time of year) with warm spices and I sometimes use them in stuffing (or pine nuts for some reason).

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Have not seen one in the house since we placed a bowl of conkers on the dining table.

Tell me more! I've no beef with spiders, I just love stuff like this. How is that supposed to help?

"Those weirdos have a house full of conkers, I'm not going near there"

Don't mind them myself unless they're around my bed/food. I've a cousin who's training to be a vet and she doesn't care about rats, snakes, and most disgusting creatures...but absolutely loses her mind if there's a spider around.

[Hornet]

Anyway, not too worried about getting rid of spiders.

Anyway, good to eat. I'm very fond of them, nice for a thick rich soup (like pumpkins at this time of year) with warm spices and I sometimes use them in stuffing (or pine nuts for some reason).

Sweet Chestnuts can be used if you don't have any spiders to hand.

[Peg Leg]

Pretty sure we would have called either kind conkers when I was a kid.

Looking here
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning- ... -chestnut/
they appear to have a picture of the spiky sweet chestnut casing rather than the smoother horse chestnut

My youthful weekends were spent conquering (couldn't resist) the horse chestnut tree down the end of the garden (and frequently getting bones relocated after failing).
Both casing types grow on the horse chestnut tree.... or more accurately- the casings are only spikey at early stage growth and as the nut matures/expands the spikes are stretched out to give the casing a smooth finish.
Spikey= nut will beno good for a conkers match
Smooth= get that sh!t open.... Game on

[Peg Leg]

Doubler

[Hornet]

There are hints on here on how to make your conkers harder.

http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent. ... nkers.html

I prefer to soak mine in vinegar.

[fourthirtythree]

Every day there are unexpected opportunities to learn.

[blockhead]

Back in the day, if someone had an unbeatable conker, you could sneakily employ a "ripsy and stampsy" manoeuvre. Get your string to wrap around theirs and rip the conker out of their hands and then stamp on it. You did'nt get to add their victory count onto yours but the pain on their face was worth it. Worked best if the other guy was smaller of course.