Spider control?

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pybyr

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Jun 3, 2008
2,300
Adamant, VT 05640
Hello all-- I'd like to seek ideas from the Hearth.com storehouse of practical wisdom on the following:

My GF is extremely down to earth -- but very put off by spiders (sort of like a friend of mine who works outdoors all the time and is a very rugged individual, but is freaked out by snakes of any sort, no matter how small, non-venomous, etc).

Since my house is a nearly 200 year old farmhouse, and I'm nearsighted and haven't been all that meticulous about spiders in the past (they tended to catch the cluster-flies, which was an indirect bonus)... they're definitely around.

I know that there are extreme measures such as calling an exterminator or trying to "fog" the house with a DIY "bug bomb" but am wondering if folks have any less drastic suggestions on reducing the population, or ways to easily catch/remove that even a spider-avoidant person could comfortably use?

Thanks
 
They might taste good smothered in chocolate.
 
pybyr said:
Hello all-- I'd like to seek ideas from the Hearth.com storehouse of practical wisdom on the following:

My GF is extremely down to earth -- but very put off by spiders (sort of like a friend of mine who works outdoors all the time and is a very rugged individual, but is freaked out by snakes of any sort, no matter how small, non-venomous, etc).

Since my house is a nearly 200 year old farmhouse, and I'm nearsighted and haven't been all that meticulous about spiders in the past (they tended to catch the cluster-flies, which was an indirect bonus)... they're definitely around.

I know that there are extreme measures such as calling an exterminator or trying to "fog" the house with a DIY "bug bomb" but am wondering if folks have any less drastic suggestions on reducing the population, or ways to easily catch/remove that even a spider-avoidant person could comfortably use?

Thanks
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Spiders are harder to control than most other insects because the residual action of most pesticides doesn't affect them. They generally must be killed directly.

The best way to get rid of them is to take away their source of food, namely other bugs. They love dust and paper and cardboard, because it attracts things they eat.

If you really want to get rid of them, try getting rid of old boxes, etc., and seal up every way into the house, especially in the basement. They'll come in through tiny cracks and holes in the foundation, around widow wells, etc. Spraying only helps indirectly, by killing off some of their food.
 
Hi There,
We have used these for three summers with great success--the 'fog' seems to get in the walls to kill both spiders and their food, i.e. ants, flies, etc. We've had 0 bug problems in the three years we've used them.

(broken link removed)

S
 
My cats take pretty good care of spiders and most bugs...

Jay
 
I don't know if this is just an old wives tale or not, some people swear by hedge balls. They say putting them in the basement will get rid of spiders. If it works it's cheaper and better for you than spray.

Larry
 
From my experience, painting the room can help eliminate spiders. I once painted my room and over 10 spiders fled my room and went into the living room, where I (directly) killed them..
 
jeromehdmc said:
I don't know if this is just an old wives tale or not, some people swear by hedge balls. They say putting them in the basement will get rid of spiders. If it works it's cheaper and better for you than spray.

Larry
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Thanks- osage orange don't grow around here- at least not without planting them, so I don't know where I could get them, or whether they'd ship without freezing this time of year-- anyone know?
 
We have the brown recluse (fiddle back) here and I have been bitten by them. Not pretty. I used permethrin dust by throwing the dent into the attic fan. From the outside it looked like my house was on fire.
 
We also have brown recluse in this area. Since they like to stay in dark areas I use sticky traps (cardboard type that make a pyramid, not plastic tray type) placed along the baseboard in all closets. Spiders will go into them and that's where they stay. It's not a "total" solution, but sure helps with localized problems.
 
We have tons of hedge apples everywhere in our area. I don't know if we could find them right now (12-15" of snow and temps b/w -15F to 2F and winds of 20-30 mph = Stay inside). I wonder also if they would be mushy once they thawed out? We pick them up "green" when they fall off the trees in the fall and store them in the basements for spider control. They eventually dry out and shrink a little and end up feeling like a ball of paper mache` (i.e. light weight). We mix the dried balls in water in the spring to make a mushy solution and then drag a hoe on the ground and pour it in the trough, thus, creating a hedgerow.
 
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