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r/spiders • … • u/A_Lountvink

What should I do about this mother spider I found next to my bed?

Hello, so I was moving some covers around just now to see if some headphones fell and found what I think is a female dark fishing spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus). I am not really sure how long she's been there, but I doubt it's been more than a couple days. Fishing spiders don't really spook me (we get a lot of them around here), so usually I'd just coax them into a container to take them outside, but she looks to have deposited some eggs on an old sandal (I don't really use them and just keep them under there to keep them out of the way). We get a lot of fireflies and other beetles this time of year, and they tend to gather around this part of the house since the light above this spot is often the last one on, so I would assume she's been eating them.

I don't want to disturb her too much, but I also don't know if letting her stay there is a good idea, and the thought of having a spider nest that close to where I sleep is a little uncomfortable.

Do y'all have any recommendations for what I should do in this situation? Anyone know how long she'll be there if I leave her? Should I give her some cover to keep that spot dark?

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