Should I Kill Spiders in My Home? An Entomologist Explains Why Not To
Spiders are a natural and healthy part of your home’s ecosystem.
- Matt Bertone
I know it may be hard to convince you, but let me try: Don’t kill the next spider you see in your home.
Why? Because spiders are an important part of nature and our indoor ecosystem – as well as being fellow organisms in their own right.
8 comments:
Bee here:
Truthfully, I never kill spiders in my house. I know they are basically harmless, and eat other bugs. If they are nearby I usually brush them into a corner or toward the baseboard so they can find a place to hide.
But I did have a recent infestation of gnats, however, (fruit flies: drosophila melanogaster), which in spite of making sure there was nothing for them to eat anywhere, seemed to be multiplying into a great swarm. I tried a few home remedies but seemed to be curtailing them. I really didn't want to spray, since the counter tops and dish drainer were nearby. I don't want to ingest bug spray.
So I vacuumed them. I kept my vacuum cleaner in my kitchen for a couple of days, with the nozzle extension on, and whenever I saw some on my counter tops or cabinets, I snuck up on them and whooshed them in. In a few days, they were all gone, and I threw the vacuum bag in the trash. If there were any still alive in there, they had the chance to start a new life out in the alley. :-)
God bless.
Bee
That’s a great notion, Bee -- An alley gnat!
read a good meme lately
Grandpa to granddaughter" hand me the phone book"
Granddaughter " Grandpa it's 2020 use google" and she handed him her phone
well the spider is dead, the phone is broke and granddaughter is mad
I have a spider that has a nice web in the ceiling corner of my bedroom. He eats lots of bugs and is a pretty nice guy. He has moved his web around some, but has been around for several weeks. I do not use bug spray in the house or yard for fear of killing good bugs.I did order some Praying Mantises and turn them loose last year, and I still see them around.
Jim Stamford, IRC’s 1974:
“'I don't like spiders and snakes
And that ain't what it takes to love me
You fool, you fool...”
Jim Stamford, circa. 1974
(I do hate auto correct)
I like spiders and snakes. They are good for my garden. We have honeybees in a tree and hummingbirds. The squirrels and and rabbits have exceeded their limits, however, and the Green Goddess, nee She Who Must Be Obeyed, has directed decimation.
Instead of a phone book or a phone, I recommend one of these humane contraptions to catch all manner of bugs without killing them or making a mess—simply trap them and then release them outside. Fast moving bugs can be a challenge, but over time your aim will improve:
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/home/pest-control/insects/44895-bug-trapper
Doesn’t help with ant invasions, however.
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