Newbie: need help removing egg sack and mom

[MissDiana]

Hi all ... just joined today to ask a very important question.

I noticed a black spider with short legs, crawling across my ceiling about four days ago.

I've tried to identify it, but it was so far away it was hard to, as I have a very high cathedral ceiling.

Anyway, it crawled around for a couple of days, then it's settled in the top corner of the ceiling and is now inside of a sack that I believe is an egg sack. She comes out every so often and sits in front of the sack, then goes back in.

What I need to know is, how to have the maintenance man safely remove the spider and the egg sac, without it breaking.

He's not experienced with doing this, and I don't want the babies all over my apartment.

Can you advise me on how to advise him, to do this safely?

Oh yes I forgot to ask, do you know how long it takes for the babies to hatch? She's been in the sack for two days now.

She's about 1/2 inch around with short legs and all black, at least as far as I can see from way down here. I'm in Washington state.

Thank you ahead of time!

Diana

 

[MissDiana]

Anybody? Maintenance man will be here tomorrow. I'll save mom and babies if there's a way to do it.

 

[The Snark]

If the spider is -inside- the structure it is not an egg sack. Could be it's home, or temporary structure used for molting. The webbing is very unlikely to survive being moved.
The spider can be relocated with care. Whether it will survive relocating will depend upon the species. Some don't care all the way to a death sentence. Most don't care.
If there is an egg sack inside the structure, it may survive. Big unknown.
All will depend on the species of spider.

 

[Duriana]

Sounds like a jumping spider?

 

[miss moxie]

That's what I thought too, jumping spider.

Honestly, having a spider hatch in your house doesn't mean you're going to wake up covered in spiderlings. A lot of spiders just don't and can't live outside, especially in your state. They're quite beneficial to have around the house to get rid of other insects. I had a female lay a sac in my bathroom window and now I've got about four or five little spiders in my bathroom only, catching and eating bugs and just generally being neato.

 

[The Snark]

Personally, I don't consider jumpers as an invasion of spiders. I barely think of jumpers as spiders at all. They more closely resemble incredible athletes involved in an odd comedy routine. The hazard they pose when young is almost entirely confined to each other... and themselves as they all seem to be mildly suicidal. They never pose any kind of threat to humans.
If you get lucky enough to have a successful hatching in your home you will have your hands full. Think of a hundred heavily armed two year olds all confined in a nursery together and none of them will obey a time out-go sit in the corner.

 

[Duriana]

They're more like eight legged puppies

 

[MissDiana]

Thank you all so much !

I have to say though, I don't really like spiders, I don't want to kill her, but I don't want them in my apt. I know this is probably not the forum to say that, but must be truthful. ;-)

As I've been looking at species online, she didn't look like a jumping spider, but although I have to admit I couldn't get close enough.

She resembles a trapdoor, mouse, or house spider.

She is in the cacoon-like house for several hours, then she comes out but stays by the house for about a half an hour sometimes longer then goes back in for several hours again.

The Snark: you said it most likely wouldn't be an egg sac, but then you said it might have one inside, do you know which way you would lean more if it were one of the spiders I listed ?

I've seen jumping spiders, she just doesn't look like that.

I've been reading that if you break the sack there can be hundreds that come out, there's just no way I want them in my apartment.

I'd like to keep her alive and put her outside, just not sure how the maintenance man is going to handle it, since I'm sure he won't have any patience.

Thanks again everybody.

 

[The Snark]

The Snark: you said it most likely wouldn't be an egg sac, but then you said it might have one inside, do you know which way you would lean more if it were one of the spiders I listed ?

Without either looking into the retreat or knowing the genus that is impossible to answer.

 

[Ungoliant]

She resembles a trapdoor, mouse, or house spider.

She is in the cacoon-like house for several hours, then she comes out but stays by the house for about a half an hour sometimes longer then goes back in for several hours again.

If you can get a photo of her when she's out, we can likely identify her for you.

What I need to know is, how to have the maintenance man safely remove the spider and the egg sac, without it breaking.

He's not experienced with doing this, and I don't want the babies all over my apartment.

Can you advise me on how to advise him, to do this safely?

What you've described doesn't sound like an egg sac but some kind of resting sac, which many hunting spiders will make. (Nocturnal spiders will hide during the day, and diurnal spiders will hide at night.)

If you don't want her inside, it's OK to relocate her. The easiest way would be to very gently remove the sac. (Don't focus on not tearing the sac but instead on not squishing the spider as the material constricts.) Alternatively, if you can lure her out of the sac, you can put a catch cup over her and slide a piece of stiff paper underneath to contain her.

 

[MissDiana]

I got her out alive!

Maintenance man was very gentle, put her outside, there was no egg sac.