Whats the best way to kill spiders?

gonedrinking

I noticed a spider on my balcony in Melbourne which I think was either a redback or funnel web spider. So I bought baygon and sprayed it, I thought it would die quickly but it took about 50 seconds of spraying before it stopped moving. So I am just wondering is there any better products out there that kill them quicker, like Raid for example? Or should I just pure boiling water over the spider in future?

Sid_Justice

i guess i'll just be the first person to call you a spineless coward.

brendansmith

Flamethrower? If that doesn't work try manning the f*** up.

gonedrinking

Well since I'm not a complete moron, I'm not going to allow a dangerous spider to reside in the door frame of my apartment- its web was in the gap between the door and the wall. So everytime I opened the door and went out to my balcony I would be walking inches away from it. It had also trashed my balcony during the christmas break, I came back to find spiderwebs everywhere!

If I wanted AH responses I would of posted in AH!

irelandspurs

WD40 and a lighter

mandrake04

baygon DIY outdoor is good enough, one spray and they are history. Takes a few mintues to kick in but good old incy-wincy will soon be climbing the old pearly spout in in the sky.

You dont need to keep spraying it doesn't have an immediate effect but it will work, if you want some fast acting try a size 10.


I dont think it was a funnel web... they are not native or that common to Melbourne. If it was a Red Back it would be easy distinguishable that it had a red stripe.

You probably killed something harmless.

Zambia

Could have been a white tail or a wolf spider.

Yeah raid it and just wait.

The Sweeper

gonedrinking wrote: »

I noticed a spider on my balcony in Melbourne which I think was either a redback or funnel web spider. So I bought baygon and sprayed it, I thought it would die quickly but it took about 50 seconds of spraying before it stopped moving. So I am just wondering is there any better products out there that kill them quicker, like Raid for example? Or should I just pure boiling water over the spider in future?

Welcome to Melbourne.

The Sydney funnel web spider does not reside in this state. That's why it's called the Sydney funnel web spider. It's also rather large.

A redback spider has a distinctive red back but is about the size of a fingernail. It also almost never leaves its web, so in order to be bitten by one you'd need to stick your hand in the web and poke it.

If you sprayed the apparently completely harmless spider you found on your balcony for 50 seconds, I think cause of death would legitimately be drowning, as opposed to poisoning.

None of the small spiders in Melbourne have a tendancy to jump from the sanctuary of their webs onto passing humans and try to bite them through their clothes, so you're probably safe enough just walking past it.

The last notable spider you'll encounter in Melbourne is the huntsman, which is large but non poisonous, and eats cockroaches, so they're really good spiders.

But if you're seriously that scared of spiders, use the vacuum cleaner.

Mahatma coat

I find a Size 14 boot wielded in anger is a good solution to spiders, Alternatley as has been suggested "grow a pair"

they're right tho, very few dangerous spiders in Melbourne, Feck there are very Few dangerous spiders in Australia compared to the myriad of other creatures intent on your demise

mandrake04

was in the car but harmless

universe777

Coles own brand surface spray works for me. It does take that long to kill them and they don't drown, it kinda shrivels them.

Huntsmans are quite common on the outside of my building, mostly only small ones. I did kill what looked like a redback on my balcony. I caught a white tail coming in the window one night.
Before I was that vigilant I got bitten on the big toe one night and it went black for 2 weeks maybe, wasn't pretty, my doctor agreed it was a spider bite.

universe777

mandrake04 wrote: »

was in the car but harmless

mandrake04

My mate got a suspect bite on the arm by a wolf spider, left a big ulcer and made him feel sick eventuating in an intravenous antibiotic drip plus the staff at Concord hospital to cut it out leaving him with a scar the size of a 50 cent piece.

seipeal1

Lots of spider fun to be had in Adelaide, South Australia, if anyone fancies visiting the "boring city". It's not, by the way. We have experienced huntsmen the size of your hand, white tails, red backs ( can get bigger than fingernails!!) and wolf spiders. Considering my wife has arachnophobia, she is doing great after a few years!

Traq

As others have said, chances are it was neither as funnel webs don't exist here and there's really no way you can confuse a funnel web with a red back anyway, besides the distinctive red stripe there's a huge size difference too. My advice, along with most other posters, would be to grow a pair, the vast majority of spiders you see in the city here will do no harm to you at all.

The_B_Man

Check here to see which it was:
Aussie Spiders

I doubt you're in any danger. I say keep it as a pet like I did in Perth with a redback. Very little maintenance. Just throw a fly into them every once in a while.

gonedrinking

The Sweeper wrote: »

Welcome to Melbourne.

The Sydney funnel web spider does not reside in this state. That's why it's called the Sydney funnel web spider. It's also rather large.

None of the small spiders in Melbourne have a tendancy to jump from the sanctuary of their webs onto passing humans and try to bite them through their clothes, so you're probably safe enough just walking past it.

Actually the funnel web spider is found in NSW, VIC, and Queensland:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_funnel-web_spider

And it wouldn't need to bite through clothes since I almost always wear shorts and flip flops around the house. All that would need to happen is for me to drop something into or near the web when I'm walking past, and it could get spooked and bite. Why would I take such an unnecessary risk by letting it stay there.

gonedrinking

The_B_Man wrote: »

Check here to see which it was:
Aussie Spiders

I doubt you're in any danger. I say keep it as a pet like I did in Perth with a redback. Very little maintenance. Just throw a fly into them every once in a while.

After looking at the pictures I would say its almost certainly a redback, although it is hard to tell as its shrivelled up now. Shortly after I killed it a lot of other smaller spiders showed up at the scene, I'm glad I put an end to it before they multiplied even further.

Mellor

The Sweeper wrote: »

The Sydney funnel web spider does not reside in this state. That's why it's called the Sydney funnel web spider. It's also rather large.

lol Sweeper, epic fail.
The sydney funnel web is most dangerous, and most famous, but its one of prob 40 funnel webs in Oz, including the Victorian funnel web. Most are unnamed btw

gonedrinking wrote: »

After looking at the pictures I would say its almost certainly a redback, although it is hard to tell as its shrivelled up now.

Relax a little, if you can't tell then it wasn't a red back, they stand out a mile.
Seriously, I'd trust a boot over a spray. For those 30 sec its dying, it'll be pissed

davepatr07

Hi there,


Just out of curiosity was checking out the thread here. Bit uncomfortable reading about Adelaide/SA as I will be heading there next month to work outside the city. Any tips to watch out for when working on a farm or vineyard? (Apart from wearing sunblock a hat, insect repellent etc) Snakes are probably more of a concern than the 8 legged nasties.


Cheers

mandrake04

Just check your shoes before putting them on and you will be grand.

Jumpy

Traq wrote: »

As others have said, chances are it was neither as funnel webs don't exist here and there's really no way you can confuse a funnel web with a red back anyway, besides the distinctive red stripe there's a huge size difference too. My advice, along with most other posters, would be to grow a pair, the vast majority of spiders you see in the city here will do no harm to you at all.

Sydney funnel webs are not called that because they are only in Sydney, they are also found in VIC. The other funnel web species are found almost everywhere except the red centre.

Interesting funnel web fact is that the poison is only an irritant to other animals. Its mainly primates that are affected so badly. Thats why cats can play with them all the time and survive.

The big funnel webs are not the most dangerous. The ones with the bulbous backs are females and compared to the sleeker male, a lot less dangerous.

Look for the two prongs on its arse. If it doesnt have those you are most likely looking at a Mouse spider or a common house spider.

Jumpy

Oh and OP, redbacks and funnel webs are two completely different species of spider. One is your shiny orb style (redback) and the other looks like a teency tarantula. They are about as far apart in looks as a spider can get.

Jumpy

Mellor wrote: »

lol Sweeper, epic fail.
The sydney funnel web is most dangerous, and most famous, but its one of prob 40 funnel webs in Oz, including the Victorian funnel web. Most are unnamed btw


Relax a little, if you can't tell then it wasn't a red back, they stand out a mile.
Seriously, I'd trust a boot over a spray. For those 30 sec its dying, it'll be pissed

Agreed, they may be blind from the spray but they will bolt off somewhere and you wont know its dead.

A swift crunch from a book or boot is better.


Unless its in your boot.

Jumpy

davepatr07 wrote: »

Hi there,


Just out of curiosity was checking out the thread here. Bit uncomfortable reading about Adelaide/SA as I will be heading there next month to work outside the city. Any tips to watch out for when working on a farm or vineyard? (Apart from wearing sunblock a hat, insect repellent etc) Snakes are probably more of a concern than the 8 legged nasties.


Cheers

The only snakes that are agressive around Aus are the Tiger snake and Taipan. They can be rare but if you meet them you are ****ed anyway so dont worry.

CabanSail

This was one of the Gertrudes (my name for Huntsmen) that was in my kitchen a few years ago.



As said before ... they do a good job with Cockroaches.




Killing an individual spider will not have much of an effect as it just makes room for another one to move into the vacated space.

If it were a Redback then it's not really that much of a problem. They have very small fangs and need to bit you on quite soft skin to have an effect. Bites used to be more common when people had outside toilets and under the seat was a good home for them. Invaders to their homes used to present the required soft skin (sucking the poison out was once the advised First Aid ) In the unlikely event of a bit it may make you ill but you would need to be quite sick already to be fatal.

Best thing is to leave them alone and they will do the same to you.

Jumpy

No one has died from a spider bite in aus since 1984.

davepatr07

Ugly looking spider will always be thinking of that film if I see one. Having said that if they are good for keeping away roaches that's good enough for me.
Spent the other night on the web researching about Aussie spiders so much so I'll be a biologist by the time I land there.

I saw that Youtube clip with the SA/Dutch dude showing them creeping out from the car sun visor onto your lap. Nosy little buggers though can see why they would indirectly kill you!

If I see one on the roof or ceiling of the bedroom is it safe just to leave it there or will I end up waking up with it on my face?

I'm told there are White tailed spiders here in NZ but havn't seen any the past year.

CabanSail

davepatr07 wrote: »

If I see one on the roof or ceiling of the bedroom is it safe just to leave it there or will I end up waking up with it on my face?

Have Gertrudes all around my place. Have been living here since 1991 and am yet to have one fall on or contact me (or anyone else here) in any way.

Used to have another spider for a while that would cross the longe room each night sometime during the 7:30 Report.

brendansmith

gonedrinking wrote: »

Well since I'm not a complete moron, I'm not going to allow a dangerous spider to reside in the door frame of my apartment- its web was in the gap between the door and the wall. So everytime I opened the door and went out to my balcony I would be walking inches away from it. It had also trashed my balcony during the christmas break, I came back to find spiderwebs everywhere!

If I wanted AH responses I would of posted in AH!

Oh boo hoo, why dont you google it. Or try growing a pair.

The Sweeper

Mellor wrote: »

lol Sweeper, epic fail.
The sydney funnel web is most dangerous, and most famous, but its one of prob 40 funnel webs in Oz, including the Victorian funnel web. Most are unnamed btw

Dude, read up.

Sydney funnel web, Atrax robustus, is a specific variety of funnel web and no, it doesn't roam outside NSW. I never said there weren't other funnel webs outside NSW, but it's the most dangerous one and one that can deliver a dangerous bite.

Can you tell me where I said that there are no funnel webs in Victoria? Oh yeah - I didn't say that!

The only spiders you really need to worry about in Australia are the ones that come inside the house that can kill you - oh yeah, Sydney funnel web that's right...

Best of luck trying to kill one of those with a spray. It'll take it out of your hands and bash you with the can.

The bites from other funnel webs will make you feel pretty sick - the Sydney funnel web can kill you.

Fail back at ya, Mellor.