Barn Spiders?

[Wolf-Kim]

We have a dirt floor barn, roughly 24'X30', and it has open rafters.

There is a severe infestation of spiders out there. As much as I know that they eat the bugs and are beneficial, I can't stand them. The entire barn will be covered in webs, and you cannot walk in there to do anything without getting covered in them. Some of these spiders are rather large and intimidating as well. I worry sometimes they'd bite the animals, such as the caged rabbits.

Does anyone have a solution to showing these webbed friends the door? I could care less if they were around the barn or in the corners, but I'm talking about they'll seal the garage sized entrance and all the stall doors to the barn as well as inside the stalls!

Just curious what anyone else does about this?

 

[freemotion]

Burn the barn down!!! Quick!!! Get the gasoline and a match!!! No, a flamethrower!!!!

Sorry, a bit arachnophobic here, ya think?

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Burn the barn down!!! Quick!!! Get the gasoline and a match!!! No, a flamethrower!!!!

Sorry, a bit arachnophobic here, ya think?

I would avoid the barn if I could, BUT my brooder, growout pen, worm bins, and bunnies are all in the barn. As well as food and hay for all the animals. You wouldn't want to burn the bunnies would you?

I dislike them, give me the chills.

I mean, could resort to chemical, but I hate using indescriminate chemicals if I can. Not even sure a pesticide would repell spiders, it'd kill the current population, but not quite the fix you want. :/

 

[2dream]

Pack their little suitcases and send them to me. Spiders are a sign of a good eco system inside your barn.

However, there must be spider rules. LOL

Take a broom and just tear down all the nest that are in the way. If you do this daily they will either leave or build somewhere else. It may take several weeks of knocking down nest morning and night but if you take away their food catching source they really won't have a choice. Since they are pretty much solitary anyway and don't like to be disturbed.

I don't think you really want to kill them all so chemicals are probably out. Plus with spiders you pretty much have to spray them direct. Residue does not really affect them.

And of course there is alway the matches and burning the barn down if all else fails.

 

[freemotion]

I hope you know I was joking....although it is my first instinct when I see a wolf spider!!

I use the broom method only, and tell myself that the guineas eat some of them. I doubt it, but it keeps the guineas around in spite of their mean treatment of the hens and my tom turkey.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I guess I'll just start being a more pesky landlord.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I hope you know I was joking....although it is my first instinct when I see a wolf spider!!

I use the broom method only, and tell myself that the guineas eat some of them. I doubt it, but it keeps the guineas around in spite of their mean treatment of the hens and my tom turkey.

Oh, you were joking?


... does anyone know how to soak up gasoline in a barn?

 

[2dream]

Try using the spider webs to soak up the gasoline.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Try using the spider webs to soak up the gasoline.

I did, but the first one I tried to use, this big ol' spidy come down the line and gave me the stink eyes. *shudder* So I ran to the house screaming.

 

[2dream]

You really have to stand your ground and stink eye that spider back. Let them run screaming from the barn.