[Pixels]

My husband and I are making plans to move our family out of Maryland within the next two years. We are strong Christian conservatives, and would like to raise our family around others of like mind and values. From all the research I've done, Oklahoma (specifically the Tulsa and Broken Arrow areas) sound like the ideal location.

There is only one problem -- I'm terrified of spiders.

I've heard the horror stories about large spiders, including brown recluse and masses of migrating tarantulas, and I'd like to know exactly what I'm getting myself into. Are these just horror stories, or can I truly expect to run into these things in a well-developed, established suburban neighborhood?

Will regular spraying/extermination services eliminate this problem from my home?

If anyone else has lived in the Maryland / Virginia / Pennsylvania area, how does it compare to the spider populations we have here?

All horror stories aside, what can I honestly expect?

[Annemieke Roell]

Originally Posted by Pixels

My husband and I are making plans to move our family out of Maryland within the next two years. We are strong Christian conservatives, and would like to raise our family around others of like mind and values. From all the research I've done, Oklahoma (specifically the Tulsa and Broken Arrow areas) sound like the ideal location.

There is only one problem -- I'm terrified of spiders.

I've heard the horror stories about large spiders, including brown recluse and masses of migrating tarantulas, and I'd like to know exactly what I'm getting myself into. Are these just horror stories, or can I truly expect to run into these things in a well-developed, established suburban neighborhood?

Will regular spraying/extermination services eliminate this problem from my home?

If anyone else has lived in the Maryland / Virginia / Pennsylvania area, how does it compare to the spider populations we have here?

All horror stories aside, what can I honestly expect?

I have lived here for 7 years now, moved down from Cape Cod. I am not too crazy of spiders myself, but even living in the country I have not been bothered by spiders.

Sure, you need to be careful reaching into dark and damp spots which is where the brown recluse likes to hang out. But if you keep the house clean it cuts down on spiders considerably.

Of course, there are also big nasty spiders called wolf spiders. They look bad but are completely harmless PLUS they keep the nasty insect population down.

As far as "masses of migrating tarantulas" goes ... I would LOVE to see that. I see an occassional tarantula crossing a country road when we expect rain, but that is it.

You can have your property sprayed which sill take care of it, especially in the suburbs.

[Pixels]

Thanks, that is very helpful! We have wolf spiders here in Maryland too, so unfortunately I'm familiar with them. Nasty looking critters, but as you said, mostly harmless.

I do believe I'd have a heart attack if I ever ran across a tarantula in real life, though. Harmless or not, there's no reason for a spider to ever be that big and hairy! Guess I'll be staying away from those country roads!

[Goodpasture]

Shouldn't be afraid of tarantulas....they can be a lot of fun to play with......just remember, they aren't too bright..........