How do I deter spiders?

In our house, in the last couple of years, the 'normal' species of spider (large scary type, fat body, stout legs) has been totally usurped by the 'daddy longlegs' variety (tiny body, long spindly legs). They seem lurk in ever corner, nook and cranny.

Their webs are hardly webs at all, but instead consist of tangled strings or bundles of fine fluff. No matter how often I remove them, they're back the next day. I try not to harm the spiders themselves, and when I can catch them, I throw them outside.

Traditional recommendations include chestnuts, lemon and lavender - and there are lots of electronic devices that emit ultrasonic and electromagnetic waves (but I suspect that these are in the snake oil category).

Reports of how effective these remedies are vary, so can anyone suggest something that really does work?

Reply to
Ian Jackson
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I suspect we just have to live with them while loathing or loving according to personal disposition. Coincidentally, last night I found the biggest spider in the house that I have ever seen during my not inconsiderable years. Fortunately, even with it's extraordinary size, it was no match for the fly swatter (although it did struggle a bit!).

Reply to
no_spam

They all disappeared for years at my last house after it was sprayed for wood worm :)

Came back after perhaps 5 years !

Andrew

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

Wojja want to kill it for, you noodle. Just put it outside.

Reply to
Tim Streater

I've used Kleeneze Spider repellent now for about five years and it seems to work. I spray all around our fireplace, where there is access from beneath the floorboards and around the patio door. This time of year was always the worst time but so far, so good. I repeat it about every six months. No promises though !

Andy C

Reply to
Andy Cap

Our cat, now long deceased, used to love eating those big hairy ones you get in the bath in autumn. SWMBO's favourite method of dealing with them was to put the cat in the bath when they appeared.

Reply to
Chris Hogg

We found that conkers deter spiders.

Reply to
Bod

Without looking it up Folcus falangoides or cellar spiders. The new ones were probably already lurking higher up in the corners. They can be trapped fairly readily if you have something like an oversized yoghurt pot. You simply offer it up underneath the spider so that you intersect the strands of web they're hanging on which then stick to the edges of the pot, so that web and spider are trapped together. It can take them a few seconds to get their bearings in which time you can cover the pot with a piece of paper or card prior to relocating them.

michael adams

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Reply to
michael adams

We found that, too. Weird!

Reply to
GB

Unfortunately, it isn't the conker season yet.

However, there is a tree at the end of the road. It's small, but it usually crops well. I've actually grown some small saplings from its produce (although eventually I let them die of neglect). However, last year I think it was totally barren.

Reply to
Ian Jackson

In message , michael adams writes

Yes, that looks like the one.

I find that tangling them in a 'tickling stick' cleaning duster is quite effective - but I need to be quick getting to the door or window before the jump off.

Reply to
Ian Jackson

My garage used to be a battlefield thanks to these horrible creatures. In early summer I sprayed a can of insecticide in all of the corners and the eaves etc. I have only seen one spider all summer, that got slippered.

Reply to
Mr Pounder Esquire

In message , Phil L writes

I've got an aerosol fly/wasp spray to deal with flying insects.

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Reply to
Ian Jackson

Furthermore, it doesn't work.

Reply to
Huge

Having read your other post on the topic that you're mainly worried about the webs. If you get a long thin cane, because the web material is sticky once you've made a start in one corner by twiddling it around you can accumulate quite a ball of sticky web material which will then pick up all the invisible stuff as well. I usually move mine into the cuboard under the stairs - they're left dangling in the youghurt pots and eventually find their own way out, and then I can get to work on the webs if they're becoming a problem

michael adams

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Reply to
michael adams

Brutal. You could've just made it sit on the naughty step...

Reply to
Richard

I'm scared to death of the bloody things.

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Reply to
Mr Pounder Esquire
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Don't they make those 'garden guns' any more? Used to sell 'em in hardware shops years ago no licence required. Bolt-action, they fired a miniature live shotgun shell, 9mm calibre with about 20 - 30 1mm pellets inside. Intended for rats and squirrels IIRC. I had a Webley one back in the early 70s. Possibly overkill for spiders, but if all else fails? Anyone else remember these guns?

Reply to
Cursitor Doom

Is that how you got your screen name?

Reply to
Cursitor Doom

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