Spiders!

[JamesLeeds]

After recently aquiring my new nb, we have been over to start cleaning it (Filthy!) However, for the 3 days we have been there so far, everytime we move something.. something runs out from nearby.. There does seem to be a spider problem around the area (Thorne) , as I used to be moored there many years ago, and had similar problems (Someone said its something to do with the plants there :-S )

 

Obviously Boats == Spiders.. but it seems like its a never ending supply of spiders on there. (And various other bugs..)

 

Theres plenty of places they can be living, and we have found many spider 'nests' and I plan to seal a lot of these places off along with blocking the big gaps that they get in through. however, any suggestions of how to rid the boat of a spider population.. to start afresh?

 

I dont mind spiders.. just prefer not to have enough to class as extra soft furnishings! (Eww)

Edited July 1, 2009 by JamesLeeds

[Greybeard]

http://www.force4.co.uk/3546/Force-4-Batte...h-Repeller.html

 

http://www.force4.co.uk/6538/Force-4-3-x-M...h-Repeller.html

 

http://www.primrose-london.co.uk/advanced-...ource=googleads

 

There's all kinds of spider scarers on the market but I don't know if any of them work!

 

Hardly any on our boat as we've removed their source of food.

 

SWMBO has tailor made nets for each window from mossie mesh which keeps their food out (flies) and most of the spiders have legged it.

 

Basically we starved 'em out!

 

GB

[linwil]

I thought all boats had spiders!

Spent a happy(?) 3 hours stripping a paloma down on our last boat because one had made its nest in one of the burners.

Just had to have a new horn on this one because it was full of spiders/webs.

[chieftiff]

http://www.force4.co.uk/3546/Force-4-Batte...h-Repeller.html

 

http://www.force4.co.uk/6538/Force-4-3-x-M...h-Repeller.html

 

http://www.primrose-london.co.uk/advanced-...ource=googleads

 

There's all kinds of spider scarers on the market but I don't know if any of them work!

 

Hardly any on our boat as we've removed their source of food.

 

SWMBO has tailor made nets for each window from mossie mesh which keeps their food out (flies) and most of the spiders have legged it.

 

Basically we starved 'em out!

 

GB

 

 

As a lifelong arachnophobic I can tell you none of those spider scarers work! We have tried everything, starving spiders by removing their food seems an impossibility as depending on their type they eat virtually any other creepy crawly known to man (even each other) and can go for weeks if not months without eating.

 

We have found that a 50/50 mix of clove and chestnut oil repels them, and placing some around openings works but you have to replace it about once a week, don't ask me why it works it just does and we got the recipe from a TV programme about manufacturing mosquito repellants.

 

Personally, I've just reverted to screaming like a girl and getting the hoover out, works for me.

[tony collins]

Remember though, if you can put up with the spiders, you won't have to put up with the flies!

[Amduck]

I'm finding it a useful form of aversion therapy. Having always been scared of spiders, I'm gradually getting more tolerant, as long as they try to avoid actually touching me! However, I do seem to be fighting a continuous battle against the webs, which are artfully built across corridors as fast as I get rid of them.

[denboy]

apparently if you place conkers all round the boat they tend to leave don`t know if its true or an old wives tale tho

[Phil Ambrose]

I thought all boats had spiders!

Spent a happy(?) 3 hours stripping a paloma down on our last boat because one had made its nest in one of the burners.

Just had to have a new horn on this one because it was full of spiders/webs.

 

I fitted my horn with a cork attached to a fishing line & swivel this line connected to horn base, keeps out spiders but you have to remember to take cork out when on the move.

 

Phil

[Guest]

I make SWMBO move them while I stand outside shaking.

[blackrose]

The outdoor varieties seem to reproduce and grow very quickly in summer. Mostly they stay outside, sometimes they come in, but I don't mind them too much as they're easy to get rid of.

Mine was a new build boat 5 years ago and so far I haven't seen any largwr house spiders. I think its because I'm usually moored on a pontoon in the middle of a basin and its a long trek for them!

Edited July 1, 2009 by blackrose

[woodenit]

apparently if you place conkers all round the boat they tend to leave don`t know if its true or an old wives tale tho

 

i heard that sweet chestnut wood repells spiders, ive been helping build a timber framed barn and the frame, made of sweet chestnut is free of spiders, perhaps lining a boat in this wood may work.

[Chris J W]

I initially spent ages trying to constantly clear-up webs, but the finally reliased that as long I just cleared up the ones that were 'in my way' the ones that weren't did a damn good job of clearing up sundry flying insects that tend to be far more annoying ... spiders are generally smart and put their webs where their prey enters ...

 

[ditchcrawler]

There's all kinds of spider scarers on the market but I don't know if any of them work!

 

Hardly any on our boat as we've removed their source of food.

 

SWMBO has tailor made nets for each window from mossie mesh which keeps their food out (flies) and most of the spiders have legged it.

 

Basically we starved 'em out!

 

GB

I have seen notices saying "No Spiders" but I don't know how well they work.

I would be happy just to get rid of their food source.

 

i heard that sweet chestnut wood repells spiders, ive been helping build a timber framed barn and the frame, made of sweet chestnut is free of spiders, perhaps lining a boat in this wood may work.

I was told that is why they used it to build the roofs of the wine pressing sheds (cant think of the proper name) in France

[JamesLeeds]

LOL @ "No Spiders" Signs! I'll get some printed up at the weekend.. perhaps a spider with a no entry sign over it.

 

This isnt just normal boat spiders.. I imagine its been sat empty for some time, with nests everywhere and the windows open, a right little spider playground.

 

I have managed to find some "Insecticide Bombs" that you place throughout the boat.. set them off.. and leave it airtight for a few hours while it fills the boat with a smoke/mist. Will give them a go, then get the expanding foam out to fill the 'hidey holes' !

[Smelly]

Conkers works...

 

Apparently you're supposed to leave them in a bowl but they're under shelves and cupboards in our case and work a treat.

[BlueStringPudding]

We've got loads of conkers on the boat... and loads of spiders.

 

I've tried and SpiderStop stuff and the next day a spider walked quite happily across the area that I treated with it so I don't think that works either.

 

Not tried the electronic spider repellers, but in our old flat we had one of the ones that ultrasonically was supposed to repel mice and/or insects (depending on the setting). The mice seemed quite happy to gander about underneath it, and moths and mozzies weren't fased by it either. So I have my suspicions about the effectiveness of the spider ones...

 

 

 

We have found that a 50/50 mix of clove and chestnut oil repels them, and placing some around openings works but you have to replace it about once a week, don't ask me why it works it just does and we got the recipe from a TV programme about manufacturing mosquito repellants.

 

I have clove oil at home - but where do you get chestnut oil from?

Thanks

[blackelle123]

Live in the middle of a lake and we still have spiders (Iam sure the blighters can swim). I have learnt a certain tollerance to them, but draw the line at them making a home above my bed (don't want them crawling on me while I'm asleep). Hubs says leave them alone, they keep the flys down - I say suck um up the hoover!!!

Also the dogs think that they make a nice inbetween meals snack, so I leave them to it

[nb Innisfree]

Live in the middle of a lake and we still have spiders (Iam sure the blighters can swim). I have learnt a certain tollerance to them, but draw the line at them making a home above my bed (don't want them crawling on me while I'm asleep). Hubs says leave them alone, they keep the flys down - I say suck um up the hoover!!!

Also the dogs think that they make a nice inbetween meals snack, so I leave them to it

 

Coming up the Nene we saw a spiders windblown thread that stretched right across from bank to bank, approx 60-70'. Wonder what their limit is.

[MoominPapa]

Live in the middle of a lake and we still have spiders (Iam sure the blighters can swim). olleyes:

I evicted a couple that were scuttling around on the back deck by flicking them over side, only to seem them swim calmly back to the boat and scuttle back up the fender. So they certainly can swim.

 

MP.

[matty40s]

they can't ....

they use the surface tension and the web strand thats still connected to the boat to come back.

push 'em under and they ai'nt gonna swim no more

[nb Innisfree]

they can't ....

they use the surface tension and the web strand thats still connected to the boat to come back.

push 'em under and they ai'nt gonna swim no more

:)e

 

They can 'walk' back even if strand is broken, I felt sorry/guilty about one I evicted, struggling against the wind, so I rescued him! sad or what?

[FadeToScarlet]

they can't ....

they use the surface tension and the web strand thats still connected to the boat to come back.

push 'em under and they ai'nt gonna swim no more

 

Or let the fish get them...

[Machpoint005]

They can 'walk' back even if strand is broken, I felt sorry/guilty about one I evicted, struggling against the wind, so I rescued him! sad or what?

They can effectively 'fly' - well, glide a very long way - by trailing silk.

Not sad at all - spiders in the UK are completely harmless, so why kill them? Clear the webs every so often and let them spin 'em again if they want.

Flies and wopses, on the other hand, should be mercilessly culled. Or let our eight-legged pals do the job for you.

[Amduck]

apparently if you place conkers all round the boat they tend to leave don`t know if its true or an old wives tale tho

 

I suspected that this was because, by the time the conkers are on the ground, the number of spiders is diminishing for winter.

 

Conkers works...

 

Apparently you're supposed to leave them in a bowl but they're under shelves and cupboards in our case and work a treat.

 

But maybe not.

[chieftiff]

I have clove oil at home - but where do you get chestnut oil from?

Thanks

 

Boots apparently, the label say's "Bach Original Flower remedies, White Chestnut" and it's the extract of Horse Chestnut flowers at 5x dilution in grape alcohol solution - according to the back label!