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-   -   Large Spiders. Spiders in Pine Trees (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=382215)

  • Aug 1, 2009, 01:15 AM
    passmeby
    Large Spiders. Spiders in Pine Trees
    Hello, another pest question while I'm here in the pest section!

    What can be done to deter spiders? This is amazing, one day recently we had a tarantula in our house, it was up on a wall kind of in the corner. It was about the size of a ladies' palm, legs included. We captured it and set it free away from the house.

    After him, I've been noticing a lot of big spiders, not tarantulas, just some other kind of large-ish spider. I'd say they're about the size of a silver dollar or maybe a bit bigger, greyish with black accents, not hairy. They're very fast moving and like to run and hide under things. I've found 2 right around my front door in the past couple days.

    I have pine trees in my front yard and there is a lot of regular smallish to medium sized spiders that seem to have moved in. I wonder if these spiders are all the same family and the pine trees are what's attracting them? Maybe the couple of big ones were just freakishly big but belong to the family of spiders that occupy the trees? The branches of the trees are very close to the porch and they often build webs overnight that cross the path out the front door and through the entrance to our patio. The webs are thick strings that almost feel like thread. Thickest webbing I have ever felt.

    I don't want them venturing inside! What might deter them? Is there anything safe for the tree that I could maybe spray on the branches that are near the house to deter them? Something I could put around my porch and front door to deter them?

    I prefer something more natural and safe, as I have 2 small kids that play on the porch! Plus I don't want to kill the trees or branches!

    Thanks for any help! Spiders freak me out! I don't even know how I manage to sleep at night after the tarantula incident!
  • Aug 1, 2009, 03:08 AM
    Catsmine
    The easiest natural spider repellant is mechanical disruption. Take a long pole and knock down their webs every day. In less than two weeks they should have figured out that this is not a good place to build a web. No web = no food = go elsewhere.
  • Aug 1, 2009, 11:51 AM
    passmeby

    K, I'll try it.

    These spiders seem to be busy only at night, is that normal? I might be totally wrong, but I thought spiders kind of "shut down" at night?

    I typically see the ones in the trees building the webs starting at around dusk and continuing through the night.

    Would spraying a hose at them work? I just don't like the thought of getting too close, if one fell on me I'd just die!
  • Aug 1, 2009, 11:58 AM
    Catsmine
    Yes it's normal for the large orb weavers to work at night. They're trying to catch insects that are most active right after dark and just before dawn in that "nautical twilight" period.

    A hose may work, it may not. These things spin webs designed to survive rainstorms. That's why I suggest a long pole at least twice as long as a broomstick to break the webs.

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