Quote Originally Posted by DrEntropy View Post
Brown Recluse or 'house spider'... if they're in my hovel they DIE. Outside my walls, well, they've a fifty-fifty chance. I'm only ~mildly~ arachniphobic.
Although there are no indigenous poisonous spiders in the UK, I don't love them but I've handled a tarantula. This was at an animal exhibition, full of snakes, hissing cockroaches and other creepy crawlies.

A lot of children were present - including little girls - and did they scream? No! They appeared unphased by the whole event. Tarantulas are rather nice to hold, as long as you avoid stroking their hairy little backs.

So I leave spiders alone and don't kill them. I've seen some huge house spiders though ... Ones which should probably rent their own apartments.