Like many of us, I'm sure, we're always inundated at this time of year with
outside spiders making nests, spinning big cobwebs, messing up the siding,
etc. They usually collect under the overhang and on the porch.

I take a broom and sweep them down, but is there any type of spider
repellent available so that the little critters don't stop at our house and
adopt us in the first place?

Dora

--


limey at toad dot net

From: "limey"
Date: 10/20/2003 1:19 PM Eastern Standard Time
Message-id:

Like many of us, I'm sure, we're always inundated at this time of year with
outside spiders making nests, spinning big cobwebs, messing up the siding,
etc. They usually collect under the overhang and on the porch.

I take a broom and sweep them down, but is there any type of spider
repellent available so that the little critters don't stop at our house and
adopt us in the first place?

Dora

--


Yes, sweep the (free) real spiders and cobwebs away, to make way for some
Frank's Nursery & Crafts FAKE cob-webbing and spiders, to get that seasonal
look just right!

From: "limey"

Like many of us, I'm sure, we're always inundated at this time of year with
outside spiders making nests, spinning big cobwebs, messing up the siding,
etc. They usually collect under the overhang and on the porch.

I take a broom and sweep them down, but is there any type of spider
repellent available so that the little critters don't stop at our house and
adopt us in the first place?

I've never heard of any. Since I figure their food supply is other
insects, the key may be preventing *them*. Spiders are interesting
enough to provide some intellectual(?) stimulation, and they *do*
capture other small critters. However, it's no fun to walk down the
sidewalk near a tree and have to pick spiderweb from one's hair for
the next 2 blocks. With some well-advertised exceptions, they're
pretty harmless to people. Many spiders (Free Fact) spin new webs
every day. When your power is out for days, and there's no TV,
watching a spider is pretty cheap entertainment. :-)

On Mon, 20 Oct 2003 13:19:20 -0400, "limey"
wrote:

Like many of us, I'm sure, we're always inundated at this time of year with
outside spiders making nests, spinning big cobwebs, messing up the siding,
etc. They usually collect under the overhang and on the porch.

I take a broom and sweep them down, but is there any type of spider
repellent available so that the little critters don't stop at our house and
adopt us in the first place?

Dora

I suppose learning to appreciate their place in the grand scheme of
chaos is out of the question,?

zhan

"limey" wrote in message
...
Like many of us, I'm sure, we're always inundated at this time of year
with
outside spiders making nests, spinning big cobwebs, messing up the siding,
etc. They usually collect under the overhang and on the porch.

I take a broom and sweep them down, but is there any type of spider
repellent available so that the little critters don't stop at our house
and
adopt us in the first place?

Dora

--


limey at toad dot net



Sorry to pile on but the spiders you have may just be a blessing in
disguise. They are very useful in catching pesty insects like ants, roaches,
mosquitoes, flys, moths, etc. Eliminating your spiders may make your house a
haven for other insects. Think about it: if those insects cant go into your
neighbor's homes, guess where they will end up. Unless posonous, an eyesore
or grossly big, what pain do they cause.

Mi 2 sensamilia,
fito

I love those giant orb spiders and their webs. I have two gigantic webs outside
my front windows. Ordinary garden spiders. They lay egg cases and I always
have a nice supply of them every year.

The only reason I would brush them down is to paint, which I am going to have to
do this winter. Even then, my husband carefully takes the egg cases down puts
them elsewhere, in a safe place.

On Mon, 20 Oct 2003 13:19:20 -0400, "limey" opined:

Like many of us, I'm sure, we're always inundated at this time of year with
outside spiders making nests, spinning big cobwebs, messing up the siding,
etc. They usually collect under the overhang and on the porch.

I take a broom and sweep them down, but is there any type of spider
repellent available so that the little critters don't stop at our house and
adopt us in the first place?

Dora

Sorry to pile on but the spiders you have may just be a blessing in
disguise. They are very useful in catching pesty insects like ants,
roaches,
mosquitoes, flys, moths, etc. Eliminating your spiders may make your house
a
haven for other insects. Think about it: if those insects cant go into
your
neighbor's homes, guess where they will end up. Unless posonous, an
eyesore
or grossly big, what pain do they cause.

Although I do nothing to discourage our rather large spider population here,
one thing is for certain -- they do NOTHING for mosquito control. We have
had a major mosquito problem this year and even with a bazillion spiders.
Seems the wolfies have been pretty prolific in the garden this time
around -- I've been finding the little buggers everywhere this year.

I'm on the fence about their use as a fly deterrent -- I was actually bitten
by a small fly a few days back. Couldn't believe it -- I've NEVER been
bitten by a fly before and this thing actually drew blood!

An interesting item in tangent to this thread -- since cooler weather has
moved in over the last couple of weeks, I've seen a sharp decline in the
spider population as well as most other insects naturally. Surprisingly,
we've also seen several crane flies flitting about in the yard (and the
house for that matter) which is a change -- before now we'd rarely if ever
seen one over here, although I did see a bunch in a grassy field across the
street (used to be a house but it was torn down back in the spring).

Oh well -- going back to lurk mode.

James

"zhanataya" wrote in message
...

I suppose learning to appreciate their place in the grand scheme of
chaos is out of the question,?

zhan

I do appreciate spiders in the grand scheme of chaos, Zhan, and I enjoy the
orb spiders on my Carolina jasmine, roses, and azaleas. The only ones I've
stomped are the black widows that insist on making their homes next to the
spigots and garden hose caddies. It's also great to see all the spiders'
webs sparkling with dew in the grass in the morning, but it's a pain to
catch and haul outside all those little spiders that gain access to the
house where they spin their webs in corners and nooks and crannies around
the house and drive Barb crazy. How do they gain access when we have screens
on all the windows and the doors are never left open? Are they able to
invade when they are small enough to come through the screens? Inquiring
minds want to know! G

John

"B & J" bjskeff@removecox-internetcom wrote in message
...
I do appreciate spiders in the grand scheme of chaos...The only ones
I've
stomped are the black widows that insist on making their homes next
to the
spigots and garden hose caddies.

I recall seeing a TV program about Black Widows once, it was mentioned
that those spiders tend to build near a reliable water supply, because
that's what attracts the kind of insects Black Widow's like. Trouble
is, they tend to get annoyed when someone puts their hand, foot, or
other body part too close to the Black Widow and makes the spider
think that he/she needs to protect themselves.

I think that if I regularly found Black Widow spiders nesting on my
property, I'd buy stock in Raid and Black Flag, and make good friends
of ALL the exterminators within a 50 mile radius! I just couldn't
hack the stress of wondering when someone would get bit.

~Shelly~

On Mon, 20 Oct 2003 23:27:49 -0700, "~Shelly~" opined:


"B & J" bjskeff@removecox-internetcom wrote in message
...
I do appreciate spiders in the grand scheme of chaos...The only ones
I've
stomped are the black widows that insist on making their homes next
to the
spigots and garden hose caddies.

I recall seeing a TV program about Black Widows once, it was mentioned
that those spiders tend to build near a reliable water supply, because
that's what attracts the kind of insects Black Widow's like. Trouble
is, they tend to get annoyed when someone puts their hand, foot, or
other body part too close to the Black Widow and makes the spider
think that he/she needs to protect themselves.

I think that if I regularly found Black Widow spiders nesting on my
property, I'd buy stock in Raid and Black Flag, and make good friends
of ALL the exterminators within a 50 mile radius! I just couldn't
hack the stress of wondering when someone would get bit.

~Shelly~


Let's hope a black widow never comes near you. If one does, you would be
willing to risk your own life with neuro toxins in order to keep them dead. Oh
well, takes all kinds.

Well, in my idle moments I suppose it's fascinating to sit and watch a large
spider spin its complicated web. At other times, however, I don't like
guests getting slapped in the face with cobwebs when they walk out onto my
covered deck.

BTW, I've never spent time studying, but I've not seen spiders snagging ants
and roaches. Have I been missing something?

Dora
- who doesn't care for creepy-crawlies, especially in the house, even if
they are in the overall scheme of things. To each his own.

animaux wrote:

Let's hope a black widow never comes near you. If one does, you would be
willing to risk your own life with neuro toxins in order to keep them dead. Oh
well, takes all kinds.

That's what the black widow is using. Takes all kinds.

Oh, well I love when they are there and I always point them out to people who
come over. They are always very surprised and very interested in the process.
Then again, I probably have friends which are more like me in that regard.

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 13:07:22 -0400, "limey" opined:

Well, in my idle moments I suppose it's fascinating to sit and watch a large
spider spin its complicated web. At other times, however, I don't like
guests getting slapped in the face with cobwebs when they walk out onto my
covered deck.

BTW, I've never spent time studying, but I've not seen spiders snagging ants
and roaches. Have I been missing something?

Dora
- who doesn't care for creepy-crawlies, especially in the house, even if
they are in the overall scheme of things. To each his own.

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 00:12:22 -0500, "B & J"
bjskeff@removecox-internetcom wrote:

"zhanataya" wrote in message
.. .

I suppose learning to appreciate their place in the grand scheme of
chaos is out of the question,?

zhan

I do appreciate spiders in the grand scheme of chaos, Zhan, and I enjoy the
orb spiders on my Carolina jasmine, roses, and azaleas. The only ones I've
stomped are the black widows that insist on making their homes next to the
spigots and garden hose caddies. It's also great to see all the spiders'
webs sparkling with dew in the grass in the morning, but it's a pain to
catch and haul outside all those little spiders that gain access to the
house where they spin their webs in corners and nooks and crannies around
the house and drive Barb crazy. How do they gain access when we have screens
on all the windows and the doors are never left open? Are they able to
invade when they are small enough to come through the screens? Inquiring
minds want to know! G

John


They probably hitched a ride in on your clothes or groceries. But I
wouldn't tell Barb that. ;-) Spiders are my favorite in the insect
world. They do bother me though when the babies are balloning around
and I get a face full of silk.

zhan

"limey" wrote in message
...
Well, in my idle moments I suppose it's fascinating to sit and watch a
large
spider spin its complicated web. At other times, however, I don't like
guests getting slapped in the face with cobwebs when they walk out onto my
covered deck.

BTW, I've never spent time studying, but I've not seen spiders snagging
ants
and roaches. Have I been missing something?

Dora
- who doesn't care for creepy-crawlies, especially in the house, even if
they are in the overall scheme of things. To each his own.

I love spiders - they are our friends. Please don't kill out friends..