# Spiders!



## patmat2350 (Sep 5, 2017)

Alright, what do you do about spiders and cob webs??!? (preventing, not just smooshing...)

My shop is split between basement and garage. Garage is worse, but I get my share of cobwebs in the basement too. Dang things will show up overnight... I sweep, I vacuum, occasionally even spray... but they're EVERYWHERE!

I don't see many bugs... so either spiders are very effective, or they're setting up shop in vain... but I do hate those webs!


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## ELHEAD (Sep 5, 2017)

Ignore em. There are not very aggressive and ar e low maintenance as far as pets go.


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## Whyemier (Sep 5, 2017)

Peppermint, They don't like it as I remember


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## woodchucker (Sep 5, 2017)

I have a ton too. I don't bother them.
They do have a spot where they poop enough to be very noticable.  I can't believe how much ..


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## GA Gyro (Sep 5, 2017)

Generally... I ignore them... 
Try to remember to use a stick to move web material when going in a dark place that is not frequented much...

Now OTOH...
When running HVAC calls...
And going into the crawl or attic (mostly crawl, they do not seem to like the hot in the attic)...
The webs are a nuisance!
Usually when opening the crawl door... I will pick up a stick and start clearing web material before crawling in.

Once in a while... they come over to see what I am doing...
Generally... when they get too close... I give them a seriously dirty look... 
Maybe tell them they are not invited and could suffer bodily harm if they do not heed the message...
They usually listen and we are both happy (they get to live, I do not have to bother with them).

Now wasps...
They are not as hospitable...
They seem to think they can boss around someone much larger than they are...
And they seem to not learn very quickly...
Or at least they are not communicating to their brethren... grin!


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## dlane (Sep 5, 2017)

At my last place when I knew I had to get under house (it was a old house) I turned the chickens loose under it for a week first , a little chicken crap is better than a recluse bite.
Also I've hooked up my sand blaster and put the pickup hose in a bag of diatomaceous earth and turned under the house white it gets everywhere in a cloud , the stuff is finer than flower. It kills exoskeleton bugs and its non toxic


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## darkzero (Sep 5, 2017)

I hate critters. That's why I keep one of these in the home shop/garage. Anything that moves gets blasted! I use the shop vac too.


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## Ken from ontario (Sep 5, 2017)

patmat2350 said:


> Alright, what do you do about spiders


Have you noticed that you don't have as many mosquitoes or flies lately? one spider eats about 2000 insects per year.


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## Laytonnz (Sep 6, 2017)

Line the walls and ceiling if it's not done already, that's what I did.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk


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## savarin (Sep 6, 2017)

Lucky you dont live in Oz.


	

		
			
		

		
	
  and  and dont forget the drop bears


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## patmat2350 (Sep 6, 2017)

Eek.
We also get these things in the US midwest-  house centipedes. Harmless but high yuck-factor... they're big and they're fast!
Just great when you have guests over, and one goes streaking across the floor...


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## RJSakowski (Sep 6, 2017)

The only spider that we have in the buildings is the Cellar Spider.  It has very long skinny legs and a small body.  I call them Whirling Dervish spiders because when you touch their web they start to spin in a small circle.  They inhabit the basement shop and while not dangerous, they are a nuisance because of the messy cobwebs.  They presumably eat small insects but given their small bodies, I can't believe they eat enough to be worthwhile keeping.  Give me a fat spider any day.


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## Jonathans (Sep 6, 2017)

Where spiders thrive, their dinner lives. Eliminate other bugs yourself, instead of relying on the spiders to do so, and they will go away.
Naturally, you probably can't do that, so its best to learn how to coexist with them.  My daughter, who is an arachniphobe, uses some sort of supersonic sound generatorvto keep them out of her house.


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## benmychree (Sep 6, 2017)

My shop is infested with "daddy longlegs" spiders who mainly congregate in or near windows; when they get too thick and webby, I get out the shop vac or a big stick. They are messy but harmless.  We also have the black widow spiders, but they do not like the shop environment, thank you very much!


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## Robert LaLonde (Sep 6, 2017)

Is that red - back just another name for a black widow.  It sure looks like one.  I was surprised to see a widow in that chart from Oz.  You guys have so many truly nasty spiders I figured the widows would just get eaten by them.


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## savarin (Sep 6, 2017)

related species so not identical. Our black house spider will prey on redbacks and the white tailed spider will prey on the black house spiders.
I keep out of all their ways so they cant prey on me.


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## Franko (Sep 6, 2017)

Spiders build webs where there is something to catch and eat, which is usually something more objectionable than the spider. I leave them alone mostly, unless they are brown recluses or black widows.

It is said that with few exceptions, no human has ever been more than 3 feet from a spider.


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## core-oil (Sep 6, 2017)

I must confess, I am pretty freaked out with the little *******'* They have always given me the creeps big time since I was very young, Generally speaking we are lucky in the U.K. except for the South Coast of England where they have the False widow spider , apparently It can give a nast nip  In Scotland we have nothing really nasty, Although about tenty years ago I got a nip from a strange looking spider , It left my hand numb for a couple of hours, Never seen one like it again
Anything with more than four legs, is not  on my love it to bits list,  Cats, Rats, Mice, Dogs , horses  Etc -- My kind of guys.


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## kvt (Sep 6, 2017)

After having a nice hole in my leg and muscle from a spider bite,  I hate both brown recluse and black widows with a passion.   Others I do not care for, but can put up with them,  They do get other items out.   If I find one of the bad ones,  I then set off fumigators and spray  to get rid of things.


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## NCjeeper (Sep 6, 2017)

RJSakowski said:


> The only spider that we have in the buildings is the Cellar Spider.  It has very long skinny legs and a small body.


I have a boat load of them in my shop too this year.


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## intrepid (Sep 6, 2017)

patmat2350 said:


> Alright, what do you do about spiders and cob webs??!? (preventing, not just smooshing...)
> 
> My shop is split between basement and garage. Garage is worse, but I get my share of cobwebs in the basement too. Dang things will show up overnight... I sweep, I vacuum, occasionally even spray... but they're EVERYWHERE!
> 
> I don't see many bugs... so either spiders are very effective, or they're setting up shop in vain... but I do hate those webs!


I go to the big box store and buy a good bug spray in the gallon jug.  about every 3-4 months depending where you live.  Spring, mid summer and fall is a good time.   I spray all corners,  along the base molding, all along where the ceiling meets the walls, around the doors and windows.  Doing this in both the garage and basement has worked well for me.  All my areas are finished and the spray does not hurt painted surfaces.


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## dlane (Sep 6, 2017)

Will : post # 7 , them salt shooters are kinda pricy , air or spring powered ? , dose it have to be salt ?
How bout sand , blast media,  
yup new project on the list


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## darkzero (Sep 7, 2017)

dlane said:


> Will : post # 7 , them salt shooters are kinda pricy , air or spring powered ? , dose it have to be salt ?
> How bout sand , blast media,
> yup new project on the list



Spring powered. Not sure about other media, I only use salt. Not sure if it would work well with any other media that's heavier than salt or with a larger grain size. I first had the original. The latest 2.0 version shoots harder & uses less salt per shot, big improvement over the first version. The 2.0 actually stings pretty good if you shoot your skin, leaves a mark too.

But still it's just a toy. Meant to kill flys & does a good job. I shoot crickets too but if they're kinda big it'll take more than one shot to kill 'em. More so it's just fun using it. If you subscribe to their email they usually have deals for almost all holidays.

Unfortunately if you want something much stronger you'll have to make it. And if you do please share! Here's one:


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## RJSakowski (Sep 7, 2017)

I am not keen on spraying my shop with rock salt!


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## 4GSR (Sep 7, 2017)

Ken from ontario said:


> Have you noticed that you don't have as many mosquitoes or flies lately? one spider eats about 2000 insects per year.


Haha!!!

After the hurricane, There are not enough spiders, birds, etc., to bring the mosquito population in check!  And they are out for blood!  

It's a little better now, that the county has  done some spraying out here where I live.


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## dlane (Sep 7, 2017)

Walnut blast media ? Or what the heck shoot screened chips , already have them bet they kill crickets.
I'm thinking pvc barrel, spring loaded piston


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## kvt (Sep 7, 2017)

Ken,  You need some bats flying around,  They take down the a lot of those blood sucker.   they also do flies etc,   but not spiders.  We get this black and yellow spiders here that can make a 6 foot web over night and legs and body can get about the size of a kids hand.   They also eat a lot of bugs.   but it is a mess trying to get around their web without getting into it.


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## Lordbeezer (Sep 7, 2017)

Been bit 3 times by brown recluse.cut on 3 times..black widow got me..it died.caught hell about that..


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## dlane (Sep 8, 2017)

Kvt sounds like a banana spider , harmless good to have actually, Bats are nocturnal there food is too.
Bats are good for night.


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## Tozguy (Sep 8, 2017)

We coexist peacefully with the spiders around here. The webs only get cleaned up when we are expecting visitors.

The poor little buggers are only doing what nature has intended. Many different kinds but none are dangerous to us that I know of.

Its kinda neat when sawdust fouls the spider webs and turns them into artwork in the shop.

Much prefer spiders to flying bugs that bite. If only I could get the spiders to eat ants and ladybugs.......

Trivia: As far as I know, man has not been able to manufacture fibre as light and strong as spider webbing, so I gotta admire them (the spiders that is).


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## RJSakowski (Sep 8, 2017)

Tozguy said:


> .............Much prefer spiders to flying bugs that bite. If only I could get the spiders to eat ants and ladybugs.......
> 
> Trivia: As far as I know, man has not been able to manufacture fibre as light and strong as spider webbing, so I gotta admire them (the spiders that is).


That's why I prefer the big fat spiders.  They gotta eat.  They would eventually develop a taste for the Asian beetles/ladybugs.  Who knows, maybe even the mice?

I did have a covey of quail walk through the yard one fall and they were feasting on the Asian beetles but quail around here as as scarce as,, well, hen's teeth. 

As to the strength of spider silk, I believe that it has been surpassed by carbon fiber.  I did see an article where scientists were attempting (unsuccessfully) to feed carbon nanotubes to spiders in order to get them spin out a stronger silk.  Spider silk is some of the finest.  It had been used for making crosshairs for optical equipment.  Fabric has been made from the silk but it is hard to harvest.  It doesn't unwind as easily as silkworm silk so unraveling webs or food or egg caches isn't practical.  They apparently take the silk directly from the spider.  Here is a link to an article about one of the largest pieces of fabric made from spider silk. https://www.wired.com/2009/09/spider-silk/


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## Tozguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Thanks for the link RJ, very interesting. It dates back to 2009 so maybe the carbon fibre idea has shown up since.
Mice eating beetles, spiders eating mice .... I like!


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## savarin (Sep 8, 2017)

Tozguy said:


> spiders eating mice .... I like!


Then you need to move here.


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## Tozguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Whoaaa Savarin, think of the miles of silk that giant can spin from eating mice. Lets you, me and RJ get into that business before someone else does. Patmat are you in? Would be sweet revenge eh.


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## RJSakowski (Sep 8, 2017)

A Garden Spider took up residence on my office window today. It has spun a web covering about a quarter of the pane. My vinyl window sash has a weep hole and  some wasps have built their nest  inside the sash.  The garden spider is guarding the opening.  One wasp has already been entombed in silk.


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## woodchucker (Sep 8, 2017)

4gsr said:


> Haha!!!
> 
> After the hurricane, There are not enough spiders, birds, etc., to bring the mosquito population in check!  And they are out for blood!
> 
> It's a little better now, that the county has  done some spraying out here where I live.


Ken, how did you do?
Any damage, any loss of shop, equip, stock?


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## 4GSR (Sep 9, 2017)

woodchucker said:


> Ken, how did you do?
> Any damage, any loss of shop, equip, stock?



I came out better than most here in my area.  Lots of missing shingles, fence damage, tree damage.  No water damage.  Just wind storm damage.  My shop came out fine.


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