Help!!! Black widow infestation...

a reply to: Boadicea

step one - park the vehicle 100m away from its " usual spot "for a night

this it to determine if the spider infestation is actually vehicle borne or an infestation of the parking place

a reply to: Boadicea

They "smell" through the hairs on their legs...least its what I've heard. Usually really strong rents will do it. Eucalyptus will also work as a myriad of other very strong scents. It only discourages them though it isn't a real barrier.

I can almost guarantee that brush pile is the source...they love areas like that. When my mom had her house built we had a huge scrap/trash pile. They insisted we do as much of the work as possible to cut down costs and I got to have fun clearing said pile. I found hundreds of the things in it. It got to the point I had a pair of coveralls with gloves and boots taped shut and even then I was freaking out.

a reply to: Notoneofyou

Thank you! All excellent advice. It will be worth the trouble so much appreciated!

Mental note: Wear hiking boots... tuck jeans into boots... and just for good measure, remove before going in the house again!

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
a reply to: Boadicea

step one - park the vehicle 100m away from its " usual spot "for a night

this it to determine if the spider infestation is actually vehicle borne or an infestation of the parking place

At this point, after some helpful words from other posters -- thank you all! -- I'm pretty sure it's both. Probably migrated from some yard debris behind the vehicle into the vehicle.

They are definitely UNDER the vehicle. I have not yet seen any spiders or webs IN the vehicle.

originally posted by: RickyD
a reply to: Boadicea

They "smell" through the hairs on their legs...least its what I've heard.

Good to know.

Usually really strong rents will do it. Eucalyptus will also work as a myriad of other very strong scents. It only discourages them though it isn't a real barrier.

Yeah, won't be the cure all. I will do my best to kill what I can, and repel what I cannot kill though. I don't need to kill them if they just go away!

I can almost guarantee that brush pile is the source...they love areas like that. When my mom had her house built we had a huge scrap/trash pile. They insisted we do as much of the work as possible to cut down costs and I got to have fun clearing said pile. I found hundreds of the things in it. It got to the point I had a pair of coveralls with gloves and boots taped shut and even then I was freaking out.

Ugh! I've learned my lesson. From now on, debris will be piled in the farthest corner possible -- if at all.

Before you spray the undercarriage spray inside your vehicle with the essential oils, should keep them from migrating inside your vehicle when you spray the under carriage

a reply to: putnam6

Yes, excellent idea. Thank you!

a reply to: Boadicea

Your welcome!

Just please be careful, I got bit by one and didn't even know till it was nearly too late.
I live in northwest Wisconsin, they don't treat many black widow bites up here.
They treated me for a recluse bite- after being told it was a widow, and damn near killed me.

Better to look goofy and live than lose limb function or worse.

a reply to: Boadicea
Black widows? Quite giving them wine and cheeses and offering to watch old What's happen reruns. that should do it.

a reply to: Boadicea

Old folk remedy
If you have osage oranges where you live give it a try.

They have been used forever as a spider deterrent. It sounds crazy but it works. Spiders hate the smell they emit.
Put it in the cab of the car and all around.

Permethrin will eliminate any and all bugs. I had a problem with fleas....had.

a reply to: Notoneofyou

I will be -- thank you!

I've been bitten by both widows and recluses before. The widow bite hurt like hell, and my foot swelled to twice its normal size, but I got over it... The recluse were far far worse -- both the pain and then with the tissue dying around it. That was actually pretty gross. And it happened pretty darn quick too. Surprisingly quick!

But I'm definitely being careful with these widows. They're amazingly tough -- like their webs -- and fast.

I usually handle spiders... because my hubby cannot stand the things! But I'm going to have to get his help for this time...

originally posted by: JON666
a reply to: Boadicea
Black widows? Quite giving them wine and cheeses and offering to watch old What's happen reruns. that should do it.

So that's where I went wrong? Well doggone it!!! LOL!

a reply to: JAGStorm

Osage orange, huh? Thanks for the heads up. I (now) know about orange and lemon in general, but I'll see about getting some osage oranges. We have an international market not too far away, I'll bet I can find them there.

Thanks!

Here, I deal with spiders all the time and have been bitten by a black widow.

www.amazon.com...

It is safe for pets and children once it dries if you are going to use it indoors. (vehicle too)

This stuff kills everything and keeps them from coming back too.

Might be illegal in your state to spray but not for private use so you should be o.k.

Need a Hudson sprayer and follow the directions.

originally posted by: willzilla
Permethrin will eliminate any and all bugs. I had a problem with fleas....had.

I will keep that in mind. The permethrin might be one that actually has to touch the spider to kill it -- which is my biggest problem -- but I'll check it out.

Thank you!

originally posted by: baddmove
Here, I deal with spiders all the time and have been bitten by a black widow.

www.amazon.com...

Thank you!

It is safe for pets and children once it dries if you are going to use it indoors. (vehicle too)

Thank you again -- that helps.

This stuff kills everything and keeps them from coming back too.

That's exactly what we need -- Much appreciated!!!

I sometimes get them in my outdoor utility shed so I always check things out before boldly going in there. You can always tell a black widow because their webs are so strong.

Did you know that strands of black widow webs were used as bombsight crosshairs in WWII? I thought that was pretty interesting.

Black Widow Spider Silk in World War I and II
Spider Webs – Stronger Than Steel

Good luck getting rid of your hitchhikers.

The only thing that will permeate that vehicle well enough to get these, is going to be a gas or aerosol spray.

fumigation is the only option...

Or...

Driving this thing into a freezer or a place so hot they die.

Change the environment to kill them.

Chickens, they love widows, or if you are sick like me you can introduce a bark scorpion or a giant hairy scorpion and watch it destroy the widows, just use a strong uv light and a grabber.

Good times.👍