Spiders invading my balcony

Asiina

I live in an apartment and spiders are taking over my balcony and bedroom window. They make webs between all the bars of the balcony and I have about 6-10 of them just hanging out on my bedroom window making webs there. I've tried just destroying the webs and killing the ones I see, but more take their place. They haven't moved inside (thank god) but I really can't use my balcony anymore because there's just so many of them.

I live fairly high up and I can't see a nest anywhere near the balcony so I don't know where they are coming from. Since I can't get rid of them at the source I'm looking for a way to discourage them from making my balcony and window a home.

I'll use chemicals if needed, but it's likely those will just wash off with any rain we have. Google hasn't given me too many useful results as all websites seem to have directly cut and pasted advice from them (everything I've found is word for word the same). Does anyone know of anything that discourages spiders? Plants? Smells? Flamethrower?

FunkyWaltDogg

Any sort of chemical treatment tends to be ineffective on spiders since they effectively walk on tiptoes so they get low exposure from surfaces, and they don't groom so it doesn't get spread on their bodies. If they were inside I'd say you should address the prey supply as they wouldn't be coming in if you weren't creating an environment suitable for their dinners, but since they're outside there's really nothing you can do other than what you are already doing: killing them and destroying their webs.

Dman

Oh god!

Spider Infestation!

Oh god!

BURN IT WITH FIRE!!!!

I don't really know how to keep spiders away, if they get in my face I squash em. I suggest you keep a tally, you'll feel like you making more progress.

rfalias

I had a similar case on the 3rd floor, exposed balcony.

I just let them be, they eat and catch pesky critters, and in florida that is a good thing.
Unless they are bothering you, why not let them stay?

They make webs where there is a lot of prey so why not let them stay?

I let one stay and he got big and fat eating all the annoying bugs until Fay washed him away.

Asiina

Well spiders freak me the hell out so I want them gone. Other bugs don't bother me nearly as much.

Also I have an elliptical machine at home that's right near the window they are currently occupying. So because I'm a little elevated when I use it they are inches from my face. The fact that there's a window between us doesn't really help curb my terror.

If anything, I only realy need a temporary solution since winter will probably solve this problem for me in the long run.

Xtarath

Asiina wrote: »

Well spiders freak me the hell out so I want them gone. Other bugs don't bother me nearly as much.

Also I have an elliptical machine at home that's right near the window they are currently occupying. So because I'm a little elevated when I use it they are inches from my face. The fact that there's a window between us doesn't really help curb my terror.

If anything, I only really need a temporary solution since winter will probably solve this problem for me in the long run.

Bullets. Bullets, and fire.

jefe414

Harsh language.

Really though, the only thing to do is get rid of their prey. Spiders are tough near perfect predators. At least they are web spinners instead of hunting ones.

Rocko_YK

Take out the vacuum cleaner and give them good sucking. I had a problem with accidentally leaving a door open at my dirty apartment and when I came back one time there were like 20 flies buzzing around. I looked up on the internet and found out that you can spray them with windex so they can't fly for a bit, then just pick them up with a tissue. Something to do with lubricant on their wings I think? I wonder if spraying their webs with some household cleaning stuff will make it really tough for them to walk along it and slip off? (prob not)

But yah give them a good vacuum.

Passerbye

Well, let's see. I've kept a garden since I was a kid, and in all those years I've found some plants which the spiders never infested. Why? I have no idea. At least most of them are useful (see - edible) and easy to grow.

Chive (onion or garlic)
Peppermint (specifically spearmint)
Rosemary
Strawberries
Onions (red, yellow, or white)
Fennel
Dill
Roses (they attract beetles though)

Here are some plants you'll want to avoid, as they seem to be spider magnets:

Tomatoes
Oregano
Parsley (flat-leaf)

There's also a spray I found online which has worked really well on my back porch.

Ingredients

* 1 quart water
* 5 tablespoons natural liquid soap
* 1 ounce neem oil
* a few drops of lavender oil or tea tree oil

Mix these ingredients together in a spray bottle and spray around the area the spiders are infesting. Apparently spiders have taste buds on their legs and they hate this combination of ingredients.

I found neem oil online, though I'm told you can find it at local health food stores too.

cooljammer00

about those mint crops, aren't spiders the ones that can't cross a chalk line/stick of gum? or won't?

pogo mudder

rfalias wrote: »

They make webs where there is a lot of prey so why not let them stay?

I let one stay and he got big and fat

DO not trust his evils, for he is Lolth the Spider Queen!

OremLK

Go out and start squashing them, spraying them with Raid, or vacuuming them. Rinse and repeat every day until the infestation subsides.

RNEMESiS42

Spiders are only there because there is a lot of easy prey. Do you have any lights on that porch, or are the lights inside always on near that window? If so, they are attracting moths and other flying insects at night, providing a smorgasbord for spider friends. Can you block off light coming from that window at night? Blinds or curtains? Do you leave any turn lights on outside that balcony at night? Bugs like warmth and light, and spiders like bugs.
Personally, I've learned to live with spiders. They stay out of my business if I stay out of theirs, and they eat the bugs that bite me or eat away at my sweaters.
Kill the source if you want to kill the spiders. No matter how many times you squash spiders, they'll usually come back if the food is plentiful.

desperaterobots

My suggestion would be to buy some outdoor surface spray. If it doesn't kill the spiders, it may eliminate some of the prey at least? Just make sure you cover the area well.