Spiders

[Dazza123]

I know most people have a phobia of spiders, and its breeding season at the minute, but at my house its becoming a horror movie.

Since the 1st week of August, upto today I have had 16 of those big black hairy ones, and Im sure there will be more.

I am not terrified of them, but I have a definite phobia because I am on edge every evening, just waiting to see one running up the wall or across the floor, and when I do, I am totally freaked out. I am however able to catch them and chuck them out using a glass and card.

If I miss them and they run off, I hunt them down until I find them, I just couldn't sit here knowing there is one somewhere and waiting for it to appear again.

Anyway, does anyone have any tips on how to prevent them? I have had no doors or windows open for 2 months, as far as I can tell all vents in my house are sealed and I haven't noticed any gaps big enough to allow them in so I honestly cannot understand how they are in here in such large numbers.

I have heavily planted front and back gardens which will have to be cleared because clearly this is drawing them in, and I can't continue to live in a house full of spiders, I feel like moving out at the minute seriously, its beyond.

So, if you have a fear like me, how are you coping, and whats the best way to prevent them?

[Moley]

I cant cope with spiders either. Every year I go and get conkers and put them in every corner of every room. I cant tell you the science behind it but it does seem to keep spiders away. I heard it 1 year on the radio and thought what do I have to lose by trying it. I do get the occasional 1 slip through but compared to what it use to be like its amazing. Hope you manage to find some conkers still and that it works for you.

[Dazza123]

Thanks Moley.

I have read about conkers many times but just find it difficult to believe they work, tho if they have helped you then there is every chance isn't there.

Is conker season over now then? I bet there are some on ebay if I look. Its just beyond a joke, on Monday I had 2 in half an hour, both fully grown, both running across the rug in front of my sofa, its never ending this year. I used to live in the middle of the countryside a few years back and had a lot then, but I am now in a normal street in a city and its much worse here. Also a lot of people that I know who live in my area haven't had any, I must be running a spider hotel here.

[Moley]

if you go out this week you might be lucky to get some conkers still about.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I cant cope with spiders either. Every year I go and get conkers and put them in every corner of every room. I cant tell you the science behind it but it does seem to keep spiders away. I heard it 1 year on the radio and thought what do I have to lose by trying it. I do get the occasional 1 slip through but compared to what it use to be like its amazing. Hope you manage to find some conkers still and that it works for you.

Do you have to soak them in vinegar or get the hair spray on them to get rid of the real hardened spiders? :winks::D

[HalfJack]

I'm completely hopeless when it comes to spiders, I use a hoover to get them, makes me feel awful but I can't sleep otherwise!
They can slip through veeery small gaps. Old windows? You can buy traps in wiko's (£1 for 3) that are like fly traps for the floor (more practical than it sounds lol) and they get stuck and that might help get rid of a few, providing you don't have young kids or pets running around.

The conkers thing is supposed to work and cats can be pretty effective too! You might even be able to find conkers online.
If you don't have windows open I'm shocked you have so many tbh, poor you! Good luck x

[Dazza123]

I keep my house sealed up like a prison before, and during spider season, and yes they still get in. I had 9 last year which I thought was a lot, but its nothing compared to this year. Also, before there was maybe one every few days, whereas 2 in half hour seems the norm lately.

I have new windows so no gaps there, I honestly cannot see any gaps at all, not anywhere which is why I cannot understand where on earth they are getting in, in such large numbers. Its like I am on high alert constantly, always expecting to see one, and usually I do. I cope generally when they are downstairs, its when they are upstairs that causes me more issues. There was one in my bedroom last week, near the window which was closed. I cant be dealing with them in my bredroom, thats a step too far.

I have found conkers on ebay (I thought I might) I just wonder how effective they are over long periods, I will get them now, but as spider season *should* be coming to an end, do you replace them every year?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Conkers are just horse chestnuts so do sweet chestnuts work as well? If so, the supermarkets have them in now ready for xmas...you could eat some and use the rest for the spiders.

You can't stop them getting in unless you seal every crack in your house because they squeeze through will all the other bugs. They do clean your house up of the other pests though so they are good thing.

---------- Post added at 08:36 ---------- Previous post was at 08:35 ----------


but as spider season *should* be coming to an end, do you replace them every year?

I think the spiders do that themselves Dazza :winks::D

[Dazza123]

Yeah they replace and bring a +1 :wacko:

Over winter, I am going to go around my house, inside and out and ensure any spaces or gaps are covered, though I honestly can't image where any are. I am also going to throw most of my garden away, its heavily planted out there so will thin it out drastically and hope that makes them move home for next year. Its a shame because it looks nice, but I will just rearrange it all, with less and it should still look ok.

I love sweet chestnuts, I used to pick them when I was a child, thats what i'll do, think happy memories of times gone by when there weren't as many spiders!! :yesyes:

[Magic]

I was sitting watching TV Monday evening. Low and behold a massive spider, I mean massive was crawling up my curtain. They are cream so it stood out.
P e t e r. No he could not hear me. I zonked it .with a box. It stopped still. OH heck. I looked at it , would it move. No it did not. P-e-t-e-r, he heard and disposed of it.
I found some fly and insect spray and sprayed it all around the skirting board.
Since then I am looking at the curtains and not the TV:unsure:.

[Dazza123]

I can relate to that, in the evenings I am looking at the floor and my rug. It really should be over by now, but sadly the weather is bringing them out for longer. We need a really cold spell for a week to kill the buggers off. I am away a week Monday for a week so if I can survive till then, I am hoping that it will definitely be over by the time I get back :scared15:

[graham58]

There are gadgets you can buy which make it easy (or easier) to pick up spiders and move them outside.

I've got one called a 'Katcha Bug', a clear plastic slidey thing on a green handle, which I bought a few years ago after I saw Tony Benn (RIP) refer to it in an article about his home. I wrote to him and asked him where he got it from, and he was kind enough to reply enclosing the address :)

Really could do with another though.

[MyNameIsTerry]

There are gadgets you can buy which make it easy (or easier) to pick up spiders and move them outside.

I've got one called a 'Katcha Bug', a clear plastic slidey thing on a green handle, which I bought a few years ago after I saw Tony Benn (RIP) refer to it in an article about his home. I wrote to him and asked him where he got it from, and he was kind enough to reply enclosing the address :)

Really could do with another though.

Wow, you sound 'connected' Graham :winks::D

I've seen some gadgets before where they are bit like a sticky hairbrush that they get attached to.

---------- Post added at 05:00 ---------- Previous post was at 04:57 ----------


Yeah they replace and bring a +1 :wacko:

Over winter, I am going to go around my house, inside and out and ensure any spaces or gaps are covered, though I honestly can't image where any are. I am also going to throw most of my garden away, its heavily planted out there so will thin it out drastically and hope that makes them move home for next year. Its a shame because it looks nice, but I will just rearrange it all, with less and it should still look ok.

I love sweet chestnuts, I used to pick them when I was a child, thats what i'll do, think happy memories of times gone by when there weren't as many spiders!! :yesyes:

Pretty much anywhere Dazza. Anything where there is a sealed edge like skirting boards, where fires join to fireplaces (most of the big ones in my house seem to erupt from there!), brickwork & floorboards. They will get into your house from your neighbours very easilly through the same methods. Its the same with the outside, they don't need a tube or open area to get in as they squeeze in. They climb up through plug holes to. I can't see how anyone can seal their home from insects so perhaps the chestnuts will help more?

[Dazza123]

I have seen the gadgets you can buy, but I think I feel more confident with the pint glass and card method, the surface area of the glass feels better as its larger.

I had another last night at around 11pm, casually strolling across the floor, as I picked up the glass to get him my hand went numb which was not great as it made it more difficult to contain him, but I still got him.

I think that is 17 now, almost double the amount last year :mad:

I think the mild winter must have failed to kill them off, so we need a really cold one this year, or at least a good couple of weeks of frost to see them off properly, then over winter I will be going around with my silicone gun blocking everything. I did wonder if they can get in via the chimney, I thought no initially but I guess they do. I have ordered some conkers from ebay, and will pick my own next year, we have a tree lined avenue here with loads of mature conker trees growing on it, just need to find out when they produce them so I can go and pick some up.

[MyNameIsTerry]

There is one on one of my walking routes, a great big mature one. That has been producing them for a couple of months now so perhaps its late summer to late autumn?

Ever seen the film, The Borrowers? You need one of those Ghostbusters style guns that the exterminators got Dazza!

[Dazza123]

Think I need a whole arsenal of guns for these monsters, and I just know there will be at least another one tonight *sigh* It gets quite boring staring at the floor when there is something good on the tv.

Never mind, holiday a week Monday, It has to be over by the time I get back, it just has to lol