What in the World!!!

[Frank in FL]

Ok, so the other day I went to clean my skimmer. Saw a huge spider (about 3"-4" in diameter. body was a little smaller than a marble) well below the water line. So, I reach in to pull the skimmer out and this Thing starts to move. I'm thinking it must be nerves and he just got in there. NOPE! This dude was swimming around the skimmer like he owned it!
So, I use a clothes hanger to pull the skimmer out and the spider jumps on the deck. I squash it with my shoe and now hundreds of babies are making a run for it. I'm squashing everything in site and finally get all of them.

I go inside and google spiders living in water and come up with "diving bell spider." Well, the bell spider habitats in Europe and Asia. I'm in Florida and never seen nothing like this. No other spider lives under water

Anyone know what's up?

 

[sktn77a]

Wolf spider. They get in pools and carry their babies on their back - hundreds of them!

 

[newdude]

No idea what you saw, but by me the ones with a marble body are one of many varieties of wolf spiders the marble is the baby sack which sounds similar to what you squished/released.

 

[Frank in FL]

Not sure it was a wolf spider.

 

[Divin Dave]

I googled the diving bell spider. I hate spiders of any sort with a passion, but the diving one is unique. Chances are tho, it was a wolf spider. My place is surrounded by them. Every single day there are at least 3 or 4 of em in my skimmer.

Last year, one of the ........ bit me! My hand no longer go into the skimmer without a glove on it!

 

[PoolGate]

Spiders can survive underwater for extended periods since they can go days without "breathing". I find live spiders all the time in my skimmers including wolf spiders like the one you found. Never found one with the babies on it though!

 

[jimim]

I hate spiders. They use the handles on my skimmer Angels to keep dry and take up shop. I always have to twack it a few times to get them to fall off into the water to get em out. Hate spiders! Not as much as snakes.

 

[Gladius Nova]

The only good spider is a DEAD one! Can't stand them either!

 

[Frank in FL]

??

 

[DJFaninTN]

this will cure your problem and yes wolf spiders do swim and can live in water for days.

Onslaught FastCap Spider & Scorpion Insecticide

 

[Saturn94]

I can soooo relate to this thread!

 

[frogabog]

Borates?

 

[Saturn94]

Borates?

Doesn’t help with spiders.