How to Get Rid of Things: Forum

How to Get Rid of Things: Forum » Pest Control

1. sick of black widows (Member)

   Hi I reposted the top few paragraphs from another post on what I did to deal with Black widows, so the reader will have insite on what is happening... The update is at the bottom....

   Problem

   OK, I have the same problem with Black Widows.. I have been fighting them for a year now... I have a new house in the middle of nowhere... I'm pretty sure I am the epicenter for black widows... I don't need an expert to tell me about black widows I could write a book... WHY? cause I have a front row seat to about 1000 of them...

   What I know...... Based on the last year and about 200 black widows later.. They like the SE side of the house probably cause it gets warm earlier... If I went out right now I would look in the exterior windows , down spouts and roof corners all of which have a crack or something to hide behind... Any day I can usually find 6 of them... Than GOD they are not in my house... you can rest easy though.. they have no desire to leave the corner they are in and really mind their own business.. I had one on me the other day and it scurried across my arm like I was a tree... didn't bite me just tried to get away.. I of course then called it a name and smashed it...We have learned not to pick up anything without scaning it first.. they hang out with a male which is usually out in front. You can bet if you see a male there is a big black one nearby...

   Solution

   Unless someone comes up with better this is what I suggest... To kill the ones you have now, I use either hornet spray or oven cleaner ...yes oven cleaner... since nothing but battery acid kills them on contact you need to stun them and then crush them.. Raid will kill on contact but takes a long time... Oven cleaner is awesome cause it coats then in a light foam that makes it hard for them to move... Hornet spray are for the ones you can't reach.. When they are stunned they will wiggle around the web so you can crush them with a long stick or something... If you see just a male, sqirt some Raid into the hiding place and it will come out all pissed off. But still stunned .. If you see a web but no spider you can squirt randomly and eventually you can draw them out...I didn't know this earlier this year cause I was still learning, but what I am doing to stop the infestation is killing the babies... After I go out and kill my six for the day, I take Raid roach spray( make sure it says including black widows... I soak every spot around wher I found the six... Then I soak anyplace that might look like a good place for them... Use up the whole can... I do this every other day,.. WOW you say... Yes a bit of a hassle BUTTTTT... that will kill the eggs and prevent them from going back to that spot you sprayed for about a day or so...You will see fewer and fewer.. You may even find some dead ones cause Raid does work... I am now down to 1 to 3 a day not 6 and I have eliminated large areas around my house where they used to frequent... I'm going to continue till they are all gone.... If someone has a better idea than that I would love to hear it...

   Update....

   It has been only a week and I have cut down the number of Black Widow spottings from 6 a day ( yes 6 a day) to about 6 a week... Black Flag is the pestiside I am using and it works...It kills on contact if sprayed generously... And I think will prevent other Widows from coming to that same area.. For a short time at least... got to keep up... PLUS when spaying the entire area and around, I am killing future juveniles...Also I took a trip around my property and looked into man holes etc. from my utilities entering the property and sprinkler stuff... I found a HUGE Black Widow with about 4 huge eggs... Found about 3 or 4 around the property and since then they have not returned to those spots...

   I think I found out the trick... I also have been leaving the dead widows around the srea where killed, since Black Flag kills with out crushing... That way other black widows will be hesitant to build a web there...They see the result of what building a web on my property is...JK... But I do believe they don't particularly like to be around other female widows..

   Try this and reply... It did work for me

   Posted 2 months ago #

2. getagrip (Member)

   I wish I had a can of black flag so I could read the label although I've heard it can last for a few months. Now here's a wild and crazy idea, how about cranking up the old Hoover/ electrolux and just spray the bag? Love your ideas and we need more creative thinking like you.

   Posted 2 months ago #

3. sick of black widows (Member)

   Well yah, suck them right up... I have used a shop vac in the past... But it takes away the joy of watching them die...

   Since I have posted I have not found a black widow since... My house has nothing against the outside walls , I made sure there are no weeds or long grass...AND I have been leaving the dead widow near the web.. I don't know which one of those is working..Plus I spray every 3 to 4 days... even if the stuff lasts 30 days... Oh and I leave the can outside like the commercials do, so they see the can and don't think twice about staying..Ha Ha... I have noticed ( when I started this).. They would move to unspayed areas , all of which had a source of insects.. They never lodge themself in an area with no food for them... Next time you kill one.. tell them Chris sent you and there is more where that came from..

   C

   Posted 2 months ago #

4. annolian (Member)

   Hello fellow black-widow warriors!

   I just moved into this house about a month ago and I have killed about 15 black widows since that time. Most of them were large, fat females. Some smaller as well.

   Interestingly, I also have been using oven cleaner! Sheerly discovered this by accident/I ran out of Raid and didn't need the oven cleaner anymore. And yes, it works and it also drives them out of their nests if you spray into cracks and crevices.

   I don't think there is any one thing that you can do/use to keep them away for good. Anyone have any advice?

   I have a 5-year-old boy and the last thing that I want to have happen is for him to get bit!

   Is this all that has worked for anyone else? Oven cleaner, Black Flag and smashing them to pieces? Because that is what I have been doing.

   Thanks!

   Posted 2 months ago #

5. sick of black widows (Member)

   Thanks for the reply... Unfortunately the majority of the comments have been on my email, but here is my take... Based on living with them for 2 years and doing my own investigation...

   I think you can relax to a point with your 5 year old... I have a 4 year old grandson so I know where they like to play... Let me start by describing my lay out..

   New house with brick walls all around, I have nothing touching my walls on the outside , except the A/C and that stuff... I have cut the grass , weeds, what have you, very short against the house.. I have a stone retaining wall running the length of my driveway...

   The Widows at my house keep to themselves.. There is a lot of truth to that you only really get bit when you grab them by accident... I have yet to see an agressive Widow in most cases the hide and don't want anything to do with you... I have been inches from them and even had them on me and have not been bit... I think bitting comes when to grab and trap them.. In fact I have never seen one move very fast to do anything and the certainly will not leave the lair they have made...

   I think your right, I don't ever expect to be totally rid of them.. But If I can control them I'm okay...As far as kids go... You can control where they go or should I say don't go... as well as understand where they like to be and why...They are very astute business Women... Supply and demand... They build their web around places that WILL have bug traffic... There is no point to set up anywhere else... So near lights corners where the ground comes near, windows roof joints. If you can identify those areas with bug traffic you can bet they will collect there...

   Here is how I have been controling them... I take a powerful hose and blast every area on your house there is a web... Then go through and spray your black flag all around... this will kill any hiding widows as well as the bugs they so desire... That way they have to start all over with new webs... Check your house and if you see a web where you blasted it before then check and spray that area... You will see a patern with them accumulating in the same spots... I haven't seen one yet that did not have a web.. Keep up with this from time to time and you can predict where they are and more importantly where they are not..

   Example:
   Today I will check my entryway where there is lots of lite to draw bugs... There are 3 walls they can show up.... I check every area there would be one and move on to another area that kids may hang out... whether you find them or not... that area after removing any will be clear at least until night time when they do all their moving around... I think you will find that this approach will slow the infestation in that area... So if I do find one... I spray the Widow ( don't crush them they are filled with venum ).. Wait till the black flag kills it and spray all around that area... I actually take all the dead ones and put them in a jar... I am down to 1 to 3 a week now from 4 to 6 every day... They will go elsewhere to build their lair and draw the infestation there...

   Hope this helps... It works for me

   Chris

   Posted 2 months ago #

6. samoya22 (Jonathan)

   Here's a thought: switch out the lights in porches and entry ways with bulbs that don't emit the spectrum of light that bugs are most attracted to (ie. standard soft white bulbs are total bug magnets). Try finding some sodium lights.

   Posted 2 months ago #

7. sick of black widows (Member)

   Wow.. Didn't know that... That would delete another area they like... On that same note... I noticed that when I spray to kill spiders, I am also killing other bugs and as long as the spray lasts there have been far less Black Widow... Hmmm... Take their food sourse away not a bad idea...

   Thanks for your input

   Posted 1 month ago #

8. drul (Member)

   I am dealing with an infestation as well. Besides the things already suggested here I have been "hunting" for them at night by using a flashlight and spray adhesive (craft bond) which basically kills them instantly by coating them and glues them to their webs. It also allows me the ability to take them out while remaining at least 2 feet away. I wash away the remains with a pressure nozzle attached to a garden hose in the morning (it's kind of a funny site to see what they look like in the morning). This is a cheaper alternative than using a whole can of bug spray on a spider that is out in the open.

   Posted 1 month ago #

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