Large Spiders making a home in my wood shed

[CRJ700]

I tried searching the forum for this since I would assume this is a common issue but no such luck. I have two wood storage areas on my property. The first is a wood shed that holds about 2 cords. I keep some semi seasoned wood in there that I use to restock my seasoned wood rack that I keep closer to my house during the winter. Every year I get these massive black spiders that just take over the entire wood pile. They cover the pile in this thick webbing. Even in the coldest temps mid winter they scatter all over the wood as I start to pull from this reserve pile. Do you have any tricks tips from keeping these pests out? I was thinking about spraying ortho home defense around the outside the wood shed but I don't want to spray the wood pile directly for obvious reasons. I know bugs are expected but this is a bit excessive lol.

 

[Prof]

Sorry, no solution to getting rid of them. Spiders, specifically wolf spiders are the reasons I always wear gloves when handling wood. I've never been bitten by one, but they just scare the crap out of me when they seem to appear from nowhere and look me in the eye. I try not to kill them though--just try to compose myself and pretend like I didn't just squeal like a little kid.

 

[MrCool1]

this will sound weird - but I discovered that most spiders do not like peppermint. I am close enough to town I have to have a few cameras to see when people are crashing my fence on the far side of the place. 25 mph corner and a bunch of Parnelli wanna-Be's I guess.

cameras with infrared attract spiders. spiderwebs block night vision.

I now have a spray bottle with a mix of water, and 4 or 5 drops of peppermint "essential oil".
I put the sprayer in the mode I need to reach - and spray all over inside my wood shed whenever I am out clearing cameras, as well as when I am filling the shed.
there is a bonus for me - we have a lot of yellow-jackets here - and they no longer make nests in my woodshed!
I have never sprayed the wood - but I don't believe it would do any more harm than getting it wet - but the good woodshed is for the driest wood - so I always refrained.
I also throw a few mothballs in for the mice, as they like to nest in there, and I find stashes of filberts and other tidbits that might be squirrel, but I was catching a lot of mice in traps. not very much anymore.
hope it can help!

 

[Grizzerbear]

I've heard that peppermint oil or vinegar are natural spider deterrents. I wouldn't be scared to spray that on my wood piles. It would be a cheap and safe experiment. I would cover my wood piles the best you can and spray the home defense on the ground though to help stop it. Regardless I would say first frost will solve most of your problem.

 

[MrCool1]

Prof,
great plan - I keep telling myself to wear gloves but I apparently don't have a good enough memory.
I did get bitten by what we thought was a wolf spider - Doctor sent me to a dermatologist, while they were looking at my messed up knuckle, they pulled out a fang - almost a 1/4" long. now I have a spider phobia - my wife handles the surprises from them better than I do now!

 

[Grizzerbear]

Just be glad these aren't living in your piles lol. My girls found that out by the chicken coop a couple years ago. Oh and diatomaceous earth could be spread around the piles if you absolutely dont want to use home defense.

 

[MrCool1]

Just be glad these aren't living in your piles lol. My girls found that out by the chicken coop a couple years ago. Oh and diatomaceous earth could be spread around the piles if you absolutely dont want to use home defense.
View attachment 283007

EEK!
all we would have to do is find one of those here, and we would be on our way to Alaska!

 

[CRJ700]

I will give peppermint oil a try for sure thank you for the tips everyone!... and @Grizzerbear If I found that thing in my wood pile I would probably just burn it and call it a day haha

 

[clancey]

Why I found one of those on my beige color kitchen floor and it was so big---looks just like yours--I trapped it in a glass and told it not to come back anymore as I left it go but never have I seen anything like the size that it was in my house..Would like to know what it is--big boy...Hoping I do not see any more of them for I would be off to Alaska with you. lol clancey

 

[Grizzerbear]

Texas brown tarantula - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I'm not sure if they are in colorado or not clancey. It is possible. We just always called them ozarks tarantulas but they are really called texas brown tarantula. I've seen only a few over the year but they are pretty common here. Never in the house. If I did I would have a heart attack I believe.

 

[fire_man]

I knew I was gonna be sorry if I read these posts

 

[clancey]

OMG I let that thing go feeling sorry for it....I used to have the kiln dried wood in the stove room until I got some storage for it (wood shed) and I moved all that wood out to the backyard and kept none in the house..The wood was shipped from Norcross, GA.. and do you all think maybe it could have came from there? I wish that I took a picture of it and its the very same spider in the posting before in the glass--a little smaller but not much...big thing it was...I had your heart attack when I saw it but I could trap it and throw it outside thinking just a friendly big thing..I am glad that I have medical alert..lol lol...Thanks for the information in case there are more around..yikes...old clancey

 

[Rusty18]

It’s been a bad year for spiders here, I have over 1000 confirmed squished. 30-40 day and night feeding the horses. Hated too but finally broke down when they started showing up at the front door, started around all the buildings with spray. Have 4 month old and definitely don’t want one of them biting her.

 

[EbS-P]

These gals ( I think they are females) will stop you i your tracks if you get in their tough webs.

 

[Grizzerbear]

These gals ( I think they are females) will stop you i your tracks if you get in their tough webs.

View attachment 283084 View attachment 283085

The aptly named garden spider. Reminds me of when I was a kid and my mother sent me out to get a onion out of the garden she was needing for dinner. Ran smack into the web of one of those guys and proceeded to chit my pants.

 

[EbS-P]

The aptly named garden spider. Reminds me of when I was a kid and my mother sent me out to get a onion out of the garden she was needing for dinner. Ran snack into the web of one of those guys and proceeded to chit my pants.

We name them. Ronda lived outside our living room window for several weeks.

 

[vatmark]

Why did I look at these posts? Gah!

There is a big ole web on one of my stacks. I have not yet looked to see what kind of spider it is. We have more problems with mice setting up shop in our wood stacks. These mice proceed to eat the wiring in our cars. My car needed a new wiring harness due to those buggers.

 

[Grizzerbear]

Why did I look at these posts? Gah!

There is a big ole web on one of my stacks. I have not yet looked to see what kind of spider it is. We have more problems with mice setting up shop in our wood stacks. These mice proceed to eat the wiring in our cars. My car needed a new wiring harness due to those buggers.

Yea I have had the same problem before. They chewed up the injector wiring on a truck of mine. It sounds counterintuitive but the best thing I have found for that situation is a sandwich tray with a hole cut in the lid filled with rat poison. I used velcro to attach it to the spare battery tray in my truck. That and actually peppermint oil works good for mice also. Spray under the hood every now and then. I use it a lot on my. Tractors.

 

[tlc1976]

Why I found one of those on my beige color kitchen floor and it was so big---looks just like yours--I trapped it in a glass and told it not to come back anymore as I left it go but never have I seen anything like the size that it was in my house..Would like to know what it is--big boy...Hoping I do not see any more of them for I would be off to Alaska with you. lol clancey

Sounds like a Huntsman spider, or what we know as a wood spider. Freaky as heck, I grew up with them in my dad’s house. Huge, quick, and would click their feet as they ran across the floor. Had very little problems with them at my old house, but they’re everywhere here in my yard. One reason I chose to burn pellets instead of hauling buggy wood into the house.

I spray my house and pole barn with Ortho Home Defense a couple times a year. I’ve found it’s the best thing again spiders. It’s also safe for kids and pets, so I’d have no problem using it on a woodpile.

The other thing I use is lawn granules, at least a foot wide along the inside of the doors. 90% of spiders die in it or shortly after crossing it.

 

[Country Living in VA]

Sounds like a Huntsman spider, or what we know as a wood spider. Freaky as heck, I grew up with them in my dad’s house. Huge, quick, and would click their feet as they ran across the floor. Had very little problems with them at my old house, but they’re everywhere here in my yard. One reason I chose to burn pellets instead of hauling buggy wood into the house.

I spray my house and pole barn with Ortho Home Defense a couple times a year. I’ve found it’s the best thing again spiders. It’s also safe for kids and pets, so I’d have no problem using it on a woodpile.

The other thing I use is lawn granules, at least a foot wide along the inside of the doors. 90% of spiders die in it or shortly after crossing it.

When I moved into our current house way out in the country, the previous owner didn't maintain the lawn or shrubbery very well and it was a house built in 1890, so the spiders were rampant and getting in the house regularly. My wife also requested more outside lighting on the porches which attracted bugs and of course the spiders would be all over the porch looking for an easy snack. They would hide under the door between it and the threshold and as soon as you opened a door, they would make a dash right into the house.

Like TLC1976 mentioned, I have learned over the years that by using the lawn granules (I use "Triazicide for Lawns" granules) and spreading a line of the stuff around the perimeter of my house, it does keep them at bay. I also use Ortho Home Defense, but have found the combo to be pretty effective for houses. For just a wood shed, I would just sprinkle the Triazicide all around it. I was told a long time ago that sprays are not particularly effective on spiders unless the spray is sprayed directly on the spider. When spiders walk, the abdomens will not make contact with the ground where the poisons are and thus it wouldn't likely kill them if they just got it on their feet.

 

[clancey]

Some of the pigeon supply companies have stuff that is harmless for people and "lofts" to put around the edges and corners to keep critters away.. Don't know if any of these things will work but you could check out Foy's Pigeon Supply one of the oldest ones...Now since Halloween is about to come we need a horror story or two about bugs and critters so I will share a true one that happen to me as I was closing up my pigeon loft for the night...In one area of my loft I have a huge cage on each side of the window so these "really disabled birdies" can get out and sun and bathe without being bothered by the healthy ones. I love birdies and save the ones that have no chance in the wild like broken feet or wings and things of that nature..I am kind of a bird rehab person that has worked with a avian vet over the years.. Well I do have a mouse problem and have set up for Orkin to come here once a month to control the problem at least maintain it at a level that is feaseable.. Well last night this cage outside is on a large wheeled cart that I move away from the window to shut the window because i do not want any cold air on my birdies in the cage on the other side of the window..Her name is "Gimmie" and she is about 18 years old...she had a mate for many years but he went to bird heaven so she is left in this large cage and this is how she likes it--a cage that she owns..lol lol...Well anyway I moved the cage away from the window and two mice (without me knowing it from the outside of the cage crawled into the back of my blouse and tea shirt..So I am in my kitchen and I feel like a air puff feeling in my back as i am typing away.. So I rub it to straighten out the blouse and continue to e-mail and i feel it mover higher up my back so I thought "wow my blouse is really bunched up" and straighten it out...Then it dawned on me and I went out to the loft opened up my blouse and two mice jumped to the ground--OMG That set my night in music....Happy Halloween Everyone....clancey

 

[Rusty18]

Just spread 25lbs of diatomaceous earth around the house and barn. Hopefully it will do the trick. Killing spiders is good eye foot coordination but this is getting ridiculous.

 

[osagebow]

Beneficial and generally harmless, plus they eat roaches and other pests. These dark fishing spiders have never bit me, I usually just scoop them up and toss them out of the way. Killing most wood stack critters in general is a waste of time IMHO

 

[tlc1976]

I know they eat a lot of mosquitoes, and hence I don’t have many mosquitoes in my yard. So I’m not about to go spread chemicals on my yard. They have their place, just not in my house or garage.

The few that make their way into my house like to bite me at night. So they will be killed. The home defense makes a huge difference on the house. The lawn granules are probably poisonous to small kids and pets, but I don’t have any.

 

[Corey]

View attachment 283083
It’s been a bad year for spiders here, I have over 1000 confirmed squished. 30-40 day and night feeding the horses. Hated too but finally broke down when they started showing up at the front door, started around all the buildings with spray. Have 4 month old and definitely don’t want one of them biting her.

Looks like that one is about ready to chuck a dinner plate... or a hubcap at you?!?!