Deterring Spiders

[Ringlet]

I read somewhere that chestnuts (the conkers type) deter spiders. Does anyone know if this is true? Has anyone tried the spider deterrent sprays that are for sale, and do they work? I am over-run with the beasts this year.

[vetuste_ennemi]

We love our spiders. (Unfortunately so do our cats). Only nuisance is Charlotte (yes, I know), who makes her webs where we've got the camera in the garden in order to watch the foxes and hegehogs. Every so often the only things visible are her legs scuttling across the lens. Pick them up and put them outside if they're where you don't want them - for instance in the bath.

[Khandro]

The therapy for arachnophobia can I believe be self-administered, and begins with having a photograph of a spider across the room, then however long it takes, moving it closer and then touching the photograph, moving on to a small spider in a jar at a distance, and so on .. People who have been terrified can end up handling them.
People with phobias should never be ridiculed, some people are scared by extraordinary things; feathers for example.

v_e; //Charlotte ...who makes her webs where we've got the camera in the garden in order to watch the foxes....
I never knew spiders watched foxes.

[vetuste_ennemi]

Typo, Khandro. Meant to say "...catch the foxes and the hedgehogs".

[lilacben]

Yes my mother was terrified and I know that is where I have got it from...I know they eat flies and flies are dirty..I understand and agree with you and I hate killing anything...I love all animals and wildlife..But terrified of big spiders.... I really do get in such a state when I see a big spider say over an inch long..smaller ones dont worry me as such?? I really wish I could get over it.. x

[ladybirder]

You're not alone lilacben. I know several people who are scared of spiders and they all had mothers who were scared of spiders! They weren't born with it, it's learnt behaviour.

[DaisyNonna]

Quite happy to accommodate a spider or two
No problem with flies which I detest

[Sammy48]

I use Spider Stop Spray from Betterware. It works. Spray all entries in cluding behind bathroom sink where pipes come up and radiator pipes.

[Khandro]

lilacben; I understand your problem, why not try the therapy; it might take a while, but start with a photograph from a magazine, or print one from google images, put it at some distance, even outside to start with, and slowly familiarize yourself with it, read about their life cycle on the internet and so on, worth a try.

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Franklin D. Roosevelt

[piggynose]

then dont bother ever going to Oz, as its crawling literally with monster spiders, i know i´ve seen ´em.

[pusskin]

We were in Perth Australia 2 yrs ago and we saw hanging from a tree a massive spider with claw type legs on our way back from the beach.
Didnt think such big spiders existed. Ginormous!!!
We stood for long long time and couldnt stop staring at it with our mouths open, and have never stopped talking about it. Shiver shiver.