SPIDERS come in varying degrees of terrifying. Here they are ranked from worst to most horrific:
Almost tolerable
This borderline category includes small ones found on webs in out-of-the-way places and the spindly-legged type you find in the downstairs loo. Not particularly big or threatening but they still have eight limbs and scuttle across the ceiling just waiting to fall onto your face, so you’d prefer it if they didn’t exist.
Irritating but not scary
Think of the crazed, lurching daddy long-legs which apparently isn’t even a spider at all. Except of course it is because bloody look at it. And who cares what obscure sub-species it belongs to when it haphazardly flies towards your face? Clobber it with your shoe before it kills you.
Toe-curling
Stripy garden spiders that calmly spin massive webs from the front door to the car every morning are the rulers of this tier. They’re obviously planning to trap you in their sticky threads as you pop to the shops for some bread, then to eat you alive as a late night snack. Their only error is one of scale.
Flesh-crawling
Picture the scene. That mummy spider in the corner has spawned hundreds of baby spiders who are currently gathered around her in a little fluffy cloud. Soon they’ll mature, disperse, and cover every inch of your house like in Arachnaphobia. Burn your home down now to avoid living in a disappointing 90s American horror/comedy with a strong John Goodman cameo.
Shudder-inducing
This includes anything sturdy. If it looks like it played rugby at school, it needs to f**k off. Shame it’s physically stronger than you though and refuses to be cowed as you pathetically try to shoo it away with a rolled-up newspaper.
Run out of the house screaming
These big buggers are a double threat. Not only are they so huge you can’t trap them under a pint glass, they’ve also mastered the element of surprise. You’ll be innocently watching The Repair Shop, then before you know it they’ll be stomping across the living room carpet causing you to flee in terror. Go back to your parents’ and put the house on the market.
