You stay in your corner...

.. or you die. That's what I explained to this poor little innocent spider who had the misfortune to build his (her? Let me think... hmmm... female spiders are usually bigger... okay, her) house in my classroom at the company where I worked today. Luckily enough for her, she very sensibly stayed in that same spot all day. She was still there, alive and well, at 6:30 p.m. when I left for home. More about spiders: (from the Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet) Preventing spider bites Shake out clothing and shoes before getting dressed. Inspect bedding and towels before use. Wear gloves when handling firewood, lumber, and rocks (be sure to inspect the gloves for spiders before putting them on). Remove bedskirts. Move the bed away from the wall. Don't store boxes and other items underneath beds. Exercise care when handling cardboard boxes (some spiders may inhabit the space under folded cardboard flaps). Exclusion Install tight-fitting screens on windows and doors; also install weather stripping and door sweeps. Seal or caulk cracks and crevices where spiders can enter the house. Equip vents in soffits, foundations, and roof gables with tight-fitting screens. Install yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs outdoors since these attract fewer insects for spiders to feed upon. Many web-making spiders set up residence near lights that remain on at night. Locate such lights away from the house or turn them off when not needed. Tape the edges of cardboard boxes to prevent spider entry. Use plastic bags (sealed) to store loose items in the garage, basement, and attic. Sanitation Remove trash, old boxes, old clothing, wood piles, rock piles, and other unwanted items. Eliminate clutter in closets, basements, attics, garages, and outbuildings. Store items off the floor and away from walls in basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages, and outbuildings in order to reduce spider harborage sites. Eliminate household pests (prey) such as flies, ants, and cockroaches that attract spiders. Do not stack wood against the house. Remove heavy vegetation and leaf litter around the foundation. Wash spider webs off the outside of the house using a high-pressure hose. Non-chemical control Capture the spider and release it outdoors. An effective technique for capturing hunting spiders is to place a cup over the spider and then slide a piece of paper underneath to entrap it. Dust and vacuum thoroughly to remove spiders, webs, and egg sacs (dispose of the vacuum bag in a container outdoors). Outdoors, use a water hose or broom to regularly destroy any webs that are constructed on or around the house. Spiders often move elsewhere when their webs are regularly destroyed. Use a rolled up newspaper or fly swatter to kill individual spiders. Use sticky traps or glueboards to entangle spiders.