AboutWalter Hintz Expertise I can answer any questions about insects and spiders
Experience I have taught science for over 50 years. I am presently teaching biology at the college level. I have done extensive graduate work in entomology.
Question QUESTION: How can I get rid of spiders in my home? We have no carpet. All the floors are tiled. I was recently bitten by a brown recluse spider. This was a serious bite that required medical attention.
My wife and I often are bitten by what we think are
less venomous spiders. We do see and kill lots of spiders
in our house. Any recommendations on how to control them?
ANSWER: I Am afraid that I cannot give you a satisfactory answer David because we can only get rid of spiders in a house by vacuuming them up individually when we see them and trying to see where they are getting in if they get back in. Every house has some spiders. Out of doors we cannot get rid of them nor do we want to. They are a vital part of the environment and the food web by their predation on insects.
AS to the bites I can tell you that spider bites are uncommon. Brown recluse are extremely rare. The majority of house spiders cannot break the skin. What state do you live in? Many states have no dangerous spiders there.
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QUESTION: I know that brown recluse spider bites are rare, but they also are terrible, really terrible.
We live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Are any of the organic spider control sprays (e.g. the homemade ones using Neem oil and peppermint oil with water and a bit of soap) any good? Do they deter spiders from coming inside at all? I don't wish to kill any insects unnecessarily, but the spiders are a problem.
Thanks for your help. -- David
Answer I know of no way to keep spiders from entering houses simply a spider does not distinguish inside from outside. They go where the bugs are. Keeping insects out may help. AS for spray. Pyrethrum is used as a base in many insecticide . Pyrethrum is a natural insecticide produced in Mums.
Incidentily. The brown recluse belongs to the Genus Loxosceles and new Mexico is well out of the range of the recluse. I suggest that you were bitten by another member of the Genus. (not that that makes the wound any easier
